


Lightning in the Dark

by Lilas12



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: AU - Prison Break, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Eventual Smut, F/M, Friendship, Idiots in Love, Love at First Sight, M/M, Minor Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prison Sex, Romance, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, shameless eye fucking, shameless flirting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2018-09-25 08:54:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 54,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9812111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilas12/pseuds/Lilas12
Summary: This is the story of Barry Allen and his fight to save an innocent man, his father, from the electric chair. This is a story of love, heartbreak, friendship, betrayal, trust, vengeance and redemption. But most of all, this is a story about men and women who, by joining each other's lives, will forever change their fate. Coldflash AU (The Flash/Prison Break AU)





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone,  
> First of all, welcome to this new and thrilling adventure. It's my first attempt to write a ColdFlash fanfiction and I'm really excited about this project. I hope you’ll like reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it.
> 
> This idea came to me as I was binge-watching Prison Break just after my fascination with ColdFlash began and I had a revelation. I thought a lot about it while writing the main plot and decided to switch the roles a little. Keep in mind this story is a Flash AU, not a Prison Break AU, I’ll just draw my inspiration from a lot of Prison Break plot and scenes. But the characters are all from The Flash, even if their role can be linked to some of PB protagonists. They are still the Flash heroes and vilains we all know and love, but in a Prison Break environment.
> 
> To be clearer, in this story:  
> Barry is my Michael Scofield, Henry is my Lincoln Burrows, Cisco is Sucre, Martin Stein is Westmorland, Eobard Thawn is T-Bag (but a… worst version?), Hunter Zolomon is Bellick, Iris is Veronica, Ray Palmer is Henry Pope, Caitlin is Sara Tencredi and Len is kind of the Abruzzi of the gang. But their stories, personalities and relationships may differ A LOT from their PB inspiration. 
> 
> I’ll try to post a chapter every month (I know it’s not a lot, but my chapters are going to be quite long and I want to make sure they are perfect before posting them). 
> 
> One last very important thing, I’m French and English IS NOT my mother tongue. So, I’ll ask you to be indulgent and to tell me if you see any big grammatical mistake. I don’t have a BETA yet (maybe one day ^^ ) so I ask you to forgive my errors in advance. 
> 
> Note: I know nothing about the penitentiary and/or legal world in the US, so sorry for the eventual inaccuracies. I did my best to make in believable...
> 
> So, here we go! Are you ready? Happy reading and don’t forget to tell me what you think ! ^^

**Lightning in the Dark**

 

**Prologue**

 

Barry Allen had everything planned out. He knew that in life, you couldn't be 100% sure of anything, but in the case of his father break out, Barry had considered every possible alternative, every outcome and found a solution. If his first attempt didn't pan out, he had a plan B, a plan C and all the way to a plan E, like emergency. Every technical aspect of the breakout and contingencies procedures were already in place. Everything would play out exactly the way he had pictured it. It had to. He didn't have any other choice.

Yes, Barry Allen had thought about everything… but one thing. People. He needed people to successfully break his father out of prison and that, was unpredictable. He had studied every file and every case and knew these people's past better than themselves. But nothing could predict how prison could change a man. Maybe some of them would turn down his escape proposal, or maybe he would be the one to change inside those harsh and cold walls. He knew he would have to take a leap of faith with this part of the plan, but Barry had always been a strong believer in human nature. He trusted people, he truly believed they could do better, be better if they really wanted to. So he would have to appeal to the good side of these people and hope that in the end, his trust in them would be rewarded, even in a place as dark as the prison of Iron Heights.

Anyhow, Barry Allen was convinced that he would succeed. He would break his father out of prison before his execution and he didn't care how many blurred lines he would have to cross in the process.

This is the story of Barry Allen and his fight to save an innocent man, his father, from the electric chair. This is a story of love, heartbreak, friendship, betrayal, trust, vengeance and redemption. But most of all, this is a story about men and women who, by joining each other's lives, will forever change their fate. Here is how it all began…


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, here is the first real chapter! Each chapter will switch between Len's and Barry's POV. 
> 
> Hope you'll like it! ^^  
> Happy reading!

**Chapter 1**

 

It was a beautiful day in Starling City. The sky was clear and the sun was shining. It was early when Barry Allen woke up from yet another nightmare. Covered in sweat, the young man sat on the bed with a labored breathing. He closed his eyes for a second, a tear rolling on his cheek while he tried to erase the last remaining images of his terrible dream. It was always the same. His father was strapped to the electric chair, looking at him, pleading him with terrified eyes. Barry wanted to run to him, to save him, but he was too slow. He was never _fast enough_. Just as he was starting to sprint towards him, something like lighting coursing thought his veins, a dark shadow would hold him back. He would then try to fight, to struggle against this obscure form that trapped him, screaming his lungs out. When suddenly, he was free and started to run. But, he was too late. Henry Allen was always electrocuted in front of him, just as he was about to reach him. Barry would never forget the horror, the desperation on his father's face as the deadly electricity went through his body, stopping his heart forever.

Barry opened his eyes and wiped the remaining tears off of his face. Now was not the time to be overwhelmed by his dreams. Today was the day. And if he succeeded, his worst nightmare would never happen. Getting out of bed, Barry looked around him at his unfamiliar surroundings. This hotel room was cheap, but it was the only thing he had been able to afford with the little money he had left. Most of his dead mother inheritance had been spent on preparing the escape.

Today, he was going to rob a bank. That was the first step of his plan to break his father out of prison. He had three months to succeed and nothing would prevent him from saving his dad's life.

As he stepped into the shower to start his day, Barry thought back to all the things that had lead him here. He had been just a child when the highly respected doctor Henry Allen had been accused of the awful murder of his wife, Nora. He had been sentence to a lifetime of prison in Iron Heights. But Barry knew better. He had never thought that his dad was guilty, because he had seen the real culprit. But nobody had ever believed him.

A shadow. A dark shadow had killed his mother. He had been there, seen everything. But what did the testimony of an 8 year old had meant against all the evidence and proofs that blamed his father? Nothing. That's why Barry had decided to become a CSI for the Central City Police Department; to make sure that no other innocent man would ever be accused of something they didn't do. Over the years, he had tried to exonerate his father, but the lack of evidence had always prevented him from succeeding. It was only a few months ago that he had decided to take the matter into his own hands. A riot had taken place in Iron Heights and Henry Allen had been accused of killing a guard during the ruckus. His case had been revisited and he had been sentenced to the death penalty. Barry knew it was another set up. His dad had been a model inmate for nearly twenty years now. He was intimately sure that his father was once again innocent. But the justice department had destroyed all his appeals. Barry had tried everything in is power to help his dad's case, but it was a dead end. Henry Allen would be executed in three month time and there was nothing he could legally do to prevent it.

So, Barry had snapped. If this law he had always deeply believed in was against him, then he would break it. He had no choice. He would save his father's life, or die trying. He had spent the last six months, all of his time and all of his money planning the escape and he was confident he would succeed. He had quitted his job with the CCPD, nearly cut all ties with his friends and adoptive family… He had nothing to lose anymore.

Getting out of the shower, Barry stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He had changed in the last six months. He always had been a weakling, too slender and awkward in his own body. But now, he was sturdier, harder, still lightly toned, but with defined muscled and abs. He had never had abs before. His boyish face remained the same; except for his stronger jaw, and his clear, big green eyes were darkened by a deep determination. But the greatest change in his looks was definitely the numerous tattoos that now covered his chest, back and arms. They, more than anything else, were the symbol of Barry's new identity. And they were the key to his father survival.

Barry came back to the room and got dressed in a neat suit with shirt and tie. He was usually more a jeans and sweater guy, but he needed to look sharp. Because if he really had to rob a bank, than he would at least look good doing it. As he knotted his tie, Barry took a sideway glance to the little desk next to him. It was scattered with papers and records. Before he had quitted the CCPD, he had made sure to take a copy of several criminal files with him. Early in his scheming, he had realized that he couldn't break his father out on his own. Barry would need connections and help from people inside and outside the prison. His eyes lingered on one of the convict mug shot, stapled to the thickest file among the pill of papers.

Leonard Snart.

This man, nearly as much as his new tattoos, was the key to the break out’ success. Barry often found himself staring at the convict picture more than he probably should. He was telling himself that it was because his father's future rested on the man' shoulders. But he knew deep down that his fascination for him had also something to do with what Barry had learned about his life. And maybe there was also the fact the Leonard Snart was one of the hottest guys he had ever seen. Even in a simple picture, taken by a lousy photograph in the CCPD police station, the man transpired power and confidence. He had the face of an angel and the smile of a devil. His eyes, wavering between blue and green, were piercing and mesmerizing. Beautiful. Deep. Hiding far more than what they lead on. Barry had found himself enthrall by this mystery of a man. He was the leader of the Rogues, a dangerous and infamous group of criminals, akin to the mafia, but at the same time, he seemed to really take care of the neighborhoods he owned. Under his wing, homeless had a roof above their heads, starving people had food, women and children were protected and violent crimes were punished. He robbed banks and museum but never seemed to care about the bounty, only the chase, the challenge a heist seemed to represent. He had killed before, but only when he had had no other choice. Snart was methodical, precise and insanely clever. He only had been outsmarted once in his life and it had resulted on his arrest. His own father, Lewis Snart, had sold him out to the police to save his own skin. He was now in protective custody, waiting to testify in the trial of his own son. Leonard Snart would probably spend the rest of his life in prison and he held a serious grudge against his father. Barry intended to use these facts to convince him to break out by his side. If everything went according to plan, Barry, his father, Snart and a few chosen others, would be out of Iron Heights before Leonard's trial even begun.

He needed Snart's help, more than anything. He had a big influence inside and outside the prison and those connections were essential to his plans. Without him, Barry would never be able to save his father. He just hoped that everything he had learnt about the convict was true and that he would be able to persuade him. It would be crucial to have allies on the inside, especially if they looked like Snart…

_Whoa_ , Barry really needed to get his head back in the game if he wanted to succeed. He couldn't get distracted by his entrancing thoughts about Snart.

Picking his suit jacket from a chair, Barry heard his phone ring from the bedside table. It was the ringtone he had chosen for Iris, his best friend and foster sister. She was the only tie he still had to his old life. She had been the only one who had never given up on him and still tried to exonerate his father by legal means. She knew that Barry was planning something dangerous to save Henry but he had never told her about the break out. He couldn't put her in danger or make her an accomplice. That's why he ignored her call.

Looking at his reflection one last time in the mirror, Barry took a deep breath before picking up the gun that lay on the table next to Leonard Snart's file.

It was time.

_Two weeks later_

Len was bored. He had been bored as hell for months now, since his first week in Iron Heights, a year ago. He would never have thought that prison could be so dull. He had read all of the books he had gotten his hands on, conned most of the people in this place at least twice and had climb the prison social ladder so fast it was not even funny anymore. Now, he was in charge of P.I (prison industry), owned the best cell in the Gen Pop block, had man licking his boots for favors all around the courtyard and was pretty much one of the most respected convict in Iron Heights.

And he was bored to death. He needed something interesting, challenging, new in his life, or he was going to lose his mind.

Sitting in a bleacher, Mick Rory at his side playing with his beloved lighter, Len let his eyes wander around the courtyard. Iron Heights, like any other prison, was ruled by several gangs and most of the time, the inmates were divided by two things: race or necessity. The blacks with the blacks, the Latinos with the Latinos and the whites with the whites. Then, in the middle of it, were mafia families, the outcasts, the weirdos and the worthless. Len didn't really belong to any of those gangs. He was close to some mafia families he had worked with in the past, like the Santinis, but he had never really cared about those gangs. He had created a group of his own, without real distinction of race or beliefs. He had preferred surrounding himself with useful people, inmates that could get him what he wanted and keep him safe. Len wasn't a coward, he had never backed down from a fight, but he was careful. He knew a lot of people on the outside wanted him dead, so he had decided to surround himself with his own private army to prevent any problem. In exchange, he was giving his people a certain position on the prison social scale and protected them the best he could. Nobody screwed with Leonard Snart, because the repercussion would be hell to pay.

Lost in his thoughts, he hadn't heard some C.O calling his name on the loudspeaker in the yard. Only when Mick gave him a little kick in the chin did Len shook his head to get back to earth.

"What?" he asked his oldest friend.

"They said you had a visitor", told Mick with a shrug.

Right, it was Wednesday. Lisa was coming to see him. Len thanked his friend with a little nod and made his way inside the main building. There, he crossed path with Hunter Zolomon; a guard everybody in Iron Heights called Zoom, because he could suddenly appear next to you as if he traveled at speed light.

"Snart!" he called, with an unctuous smile on his somewhat pleasant face.

He would have been handsome; if he wasn't such a sucker for power, ready to sell his own mother if it meant it could benefit him. Len had nothing against ambition, but he had self-esteem and decency, something a sniveling shit like Zolomon totally lacked. Yes, Zoom was useful to him, so he paid him to protect his private business around the prison, but he would never have any respect for the guy.

"Zoom", he greeted him curtly without stopping.

The guard had to run after him and walked by his side. "A batch a newbies will arrive his afternoon. I've heard there'll be an ex-cop among them. Do you want me to… you know… give him a special treatment," asked Zoom with a vicious smile.

The C.O knew Len hated bad cops. His father, this backstabbing asshole, was as corrupted as a copper could be and Len always liked to know when any of them would join Iron Heights' ranks. Intrigued by the guard information, Snart stopped in his tracks and turned toward him just as he reached the visitor area. Checking there weren't any bystander, Len said in a hushed tone:

"Really? Who is he? What is he in for?"

"Robbed a bank, apparently. It's just a kid, barely 25 years old and dumb as fuck as it seems because he didn't even fight the charges. His name's Barry Allen."

"Allen? Like Henry Allen? The one who killed the C.O?" asked Len, curious.

"It's his kid", confided Zoom. "So, what should I do with him? A little hazing?"

"No", decided Len. At last, something prickled his attention. Maybe today wouldn't be so boring after all… "Put him in with Ramon on the cell next to mine. I want to keep an eye on him."

"Sure thing, boss".

With another sickly-sweet smile, Zoom finally let him thought the door and opened the gate that lead him to the visitor room. Lisa was sitting in the last table on the right corner. She stood up and smiled when she was him. Len couldn't help but smirk back. She was wearing something provocative, as usual, leather pants and a golden top that showed far too much cleavage and revealed her stomach. Rolling his eyes when he saw Cisco Ramon, another convict, checking her out with his mouth wide open, Len glared at the kid. When he saw him looking his way, Ramon blanched and turned his attention back to the old women who was visiting him, probably his grandmother.

"Lenny", said Lisa with a soft voice before briefly hugging him.

The easiest inmates were given permission to have some physical contact with their visitors and Len had enough influence in here to have earned such a right a long time ago. Closing his eyes to enjoy the heat and perfume of his dear sister, Len finally let her go to sit across from her. Sometimes, she looked so much like him, it was hard to believe Lisa was only his half-sister. They had the same brown hairs; which was difficult to tell now that his were more salt and pepper than anything, and clear eyes. Lisa's pupils were just a little bluer than his, but they had a similar coldness concealed within them. Before he had landed in prison, Len and his sister never had been very prone to physical proofs of affection, their rough childhood making it difficult from them to enjoy touches. But now that they could only see each other once a week in a cold prison building, they were far more inclined to exchange signs of fondness.

"How are you?" asked Len with a genuine softness in his voice. Only Lisa, and sometime Mick, had had the privilege to see the tender side of the infamous Captain Cold.

Len loved the nickname. It had been given to him because of his reputation of being a coldhearted bastard who liked to torture people with ice in cold rooms. Most of what people thought was wrong, just hearsay, but Len had enjoyed seeing his reputation grow enough to earn him a supervillain name. If people were scared of him, they would respect him and leave him alone. Peace and quiet, that's all he wanted. Or at least, that what he'd thought he wanted, before he had found himself so bored he could feel his brain shrinking form lack of planning. He needed a heist. He needed a distraction. He needed… something to give his life meaning again.

"I'm fine, unlike you, it seems", answered Lisa with a raised eyebrow. She knew him too well.

"If you want to know, I find my current situation becoming more and more tedious", admitted Len between his teeth. Nobody in this prison should ever overhear that being the King of Iron Heights bored him to no end. He had a reputation to uphold.

Lisa smiled sweetly at him and a devilish gleam sparkled in her blue pupils. Len tensed immediately. He knew this expression and it always meant trouble. Leaning forward on his elbow, he narrowed his eyes at his sister and asked: "Lisa. What have you done?"

She remained unaffected by the touch of threat in his voice. "Me? I've done nothing", she said with a mask of false innocence she so loved to wear. "I might just be aware of an information that could make your life here much more enjoyable."

He hated when Lisa was sticking her lovely nose where it didn't belong, even if it was her specialty. But Iron Heights' businesses were dangerous. He didn't want her to get in trouble because of him anymore than she already was. Closing his eyes and focusing his breathing to try and remain calm, Len enquired: "What kind of  _information_?"

"The kind that's tall, slender and with green eyes, just your type! But you'll see for yourself, it'll be funnier that way", simply said Lisa with a touch of mischief.

But before Len could ask her what the hell she was talking about, Lisa changed the subject and refused to tell him anything more. Len loved his sister, he really did, but sometimes, she really was a nuisance.

 

The bus ride from the court house to Iron Heights seemed to take forever for Barry. He was fidgeting in his seat, making the convict sitting next to him nervous. The bulky guy with too many piercings and long curly hair was glaring at him, but Barry couldn't care less. In a few minutes, he would be in prison and his actual plan would begin.

So far, everything had gone just as he had pictured it. The bank robbery had been a piece of cake. He had chosen a branch of the 1st National which was the closest to a police station and where the employees had a tendency to push the alarm button quite quickly. Being an ex CIS really had his perks sometimes. He knew the justice system pretty well and had gathered information that were crucial to his plans. So, as expected, when Barry had pointed his gun in the air and shot several times, the bank clerk had let his twitchy fingers push the alarm button. Barry had then taken all his sweet time asking for money, threatening a woman with his glock, before getting down on his knees, his hands above his heads, when he had heard the police sirens.

His trial had been a little trickier because Joe West, his foster father, had tried to intervene. Joe was a detective with the CCPD and had done everything in his power to have the charges dropped. He had said that Barry was harmless; that he had just been having a rough time lately, because of his father death sentence. His lawyer, a beautiful woman named Laurel Lance, had been far more talented than expected. But at the end of the day and despite Laurel and Joe's best efforts, Barry had made his homework. He knew the judge was rough and hated corrupted cops. The fact that he had held a gun and fired it had shown a real intent to do harm. So, Barry had been sentenced to five years in the closest supermax prison, Iron Heights. It had been to teach him a lesson, had said the judge.

Barry would never forget the desperate and disappointed look on his foster father's face when he had been taken out of the court room in handcuffs. Joe had tried to talk to him, to get an explanation about all his, but Barry had been forced to shut him out. He loved him like a real father. The man had raised him since he was eight years old. If he had faced him, tried to explain his actions, Barry knew he would have falter and he couldn't. He just couldn't back down. If he succeeded, he was certain that Joe would never forgive him for keeping him in the dark. But Barry rather have him far away and safe, than endangered by his crazy plans. Iris West, Joe's daughter and Barry's best friend, had been abroad for a story at the time and hadn't been able to make it back for the trial. He knew she would be as disappointed as her father but would try to visit him at Iron Heights to get an explanation. She had known that something was up with him before flying to London. Iris was a reporter for a big newspaper in Central City and had the instinct of a cop combined with the nosiness of a journalist so, of course she had noticed something had been up with Barry. To be honest, he had taken advantage of his best friend's absence to begin his plan. And, now it was too late and she couldn't stop him anymore. He was already too far gone.

Barry looked through the dirty bus window to see the grey and high walls of the prison getting closer. Once he would be inside, he would have to play nice. He wouldn't want to attract too much attention to himself. The more transparent he could be, the better, but as the ex CSI, he knew it would be difficult. That's why if he didn't want to end up gutted on his first day, he had to find Leonard Snart as soon as possible. With his protection, he would be safe. He just hoped that the convict would play along and agree to his break out proposal. He had a backup plan in case his encounter with Snart wouldn't go well, but he didn't want to waste this particular asset too soon. He wasn't defenseless and was perfectly capable to take care of himself, but Barry knew the prison world well enough to take every precaution necessary. And having Snart as an ally was really important to guarantee the success of his plan.

At last, they stopped in front of the prison entrance. Barry could see the courtyard from here as the guards got the convicts out of the bus. They were chained up to one another, their feet and hands cuffed to prevent any escape. Limping along, Barry saw all the inmates in the courtyard run to the fence so they could see their arrival. He heard a few appraising whistles and could grasp a few of the yells shouted toward them.

_Jailbait, Fish, Baby, Sweetlips…_

Not a very good sign.

Despite himself, Barry took a quick look at the convicts he was chained up to. There were five of them, all tall, broad and sinister-looking. He was the only one here who looked harmless enough to be called  _Sweetlips_. There was one thing Barry had always avoided thinking about: intimacy inside a prison. He had never really thought about himself as particularly handsome but he couldn't deny that, among gruff looking inmates, he could be considered as pretty. He knew that sexual aggression and favors were common practice in prison, but he had always hoped that wouldn't be a problem for him. Not to diminish himself, but he had never been a Don Juan. He had had a few fleeting relationships in the past, with girls and boys alike, but never really had unleashed passions either. Nobody had ever lost his mind over Barry Allen. The fact that he had always been seen as plain and inconspicuous would work to his advantage here. He didn't have anything to worry about.

Did he?

Not really 100% sure to be able to blend in anymore, Barry was lead to the main building. Guards took care of the practical part of his imprisonment. They acquired his personal belongings and stashed them into a brown paper bag: the cheap suit he had been wearing during his trial, a watch, a smartphone, his wallet, keys and his tie. He had to be thoroughly searched (one of the less enjoyable experience of his life), showered and dressed in the prison uniform. He now was the proud owner of a dark blue jumpsuit, tree pair of white underwear far from appealing, a tank top, a sweater, socks, shoes and one change of pants.  _Nice_. That was soon joined by a toothbrush, some toothpaste, a hair brush and soap. A tall blond C.O was waiting for him when got out of the shower, dressed in his newly inmate attire. He was holding what seemed to be Barry's file in his hands.

"Allen!" he called.

Barry stood in front of him, his meager belongings in his arms. "Yes?"

The tall guard glared at him from head to toe then huffed, as if he had judge him and found him lacking. He mumbled something, before putting his hand on Barry' shoulder to urge him forward. They left the main building to head to the B wing, were Gen Pop inmates lived. On the way, Barry examined his surroundings. He had spent months studying maps and plans of this place, but seeing it with his own eyes was quite different. He couldn't help but smile when he confirmed that yes, he knew every inch of this building by heart and would have been able to find his way around in the dark. Officer Zolomon, as it was written on his badge, opened the gate to the living area of the B wing and pressed Barry inside. The room was huge, with a very high celling that revealed three levels presenting endless rows of jail cells along the walls. Zolomon lead Barry to the second floor and stopped in front of a cell near the middle of the alley.

"Open 40!" He bawled.

The barred door slid to the side so Barry could enter the cell. Once he was inside, it closed behind him. He was alone for now, his cellmate probably still in the yard. The top bunk was already taken, so he dropped his stuff on the bottom bed. He hoped his new roomie would at least be friendly… but, not  _too_  friendly. Sitting on the thin mattress, Barry saw that the guard was still here, looking at him through the bars. There was something that made him very uneasy in the way he was smirking.

"Good luck, jailbait, you're gonna need it", said Zolomon without losing his nasty smile, before turning around.

_Asshole_ , thought Barry. He would have to be wary of this guard and his mean eyes.

Despite his dark warning, Barry waited until the C.O was far enough to let a full smile illuminate his face.

He was here. Everything could begin.

 

Len had spent the rest of his day trying to guess what his sister had meant when she had told him that, really soon, things would get interesting again for him. Was she aware of the arrival of new inmates in the late afternoon? Was she even talking about a new convict? Probably, because among the hundreds of people in Iron Heights, a few were tall and slender, some had green eyes, but none of them combined the three, nor were his type. Len wasn't a saint, he was a man with needs and desires and in the year he had spent here, he admitted that on occasion, he had recruited the helping hand, or mouth, of one or two of his comrades. He had never been interested in anything more serious. It was just business, a way to blow off some steam. But if a really cute guy waltzed his way into Iron Heights… that would definitely be interesting.

Despite what people said, Len had never forced himself on anyone and condemned any kind of sexual harassment among his men. He couldn't do anything about what happened in the other gangs, but he had always tried to keep a vigilant eye on the inmates he knew were rape victims. He had even sometimes offered them protection when they had asked for it.

So, yes, his sister was talking about someone new. And at least, Lisa had managed to intrigue him, pushing the boredom back a little.

But the questions remained. How could she know about the identity of the incoming inmates? Did she know the guy? Or was she just trying to nag him?

No. Lisa could be a real pain in the ass, but she had seemed too happy with her little mystery. She was definitely telling the truth.

So, in late afternoon, a few minutes after courtyard time began, Len chose to sit on the bleachers the closest to the fence. From here, he had a perfect view of the main entrance, where the new inmates would soon be arriving. Mick lifted an eyebrow as it was not their usual spot, but didn't say anything, sitting next to his friend and starting a conversation with Mardon, another member of the Rogues. Len was fidgeting and his eyes couldn't stop coming back to the still empty parking lot. Lisa really knew how to get under his skin…

Finally, the bus bringing new inmates to the prison came into view. Len instinctively straightened to get a better look at the six men that came out. He was too far away to really see them precisely, but he had a good eyesight. As all the other inmates ran to the fence to get a better look at the newbies, Len stayed put, something strangely dry caught in his throat. He couldn't look away. The third one. With the mop of ruffled brown hair, lanky body and boyish face. Even if Lisa hadn't warned him, the kid would have caught his attention right away anyway. A devilish smirk appearing on his face, Len stared at him until he disappeared inside the main building.

Yes, Lisa had been right. His life was unquestionably going to be far more interesting now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your thoughts ? Any advice or comments ?


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> I'm back with a new chapter. Len and Barry meet at last and it's kind of love at first sight for them... but not really, because they are both fools. And remember, it's a slow burn so they won't jump each other's bones right away.  
> Enjoy and like always, let me know what you're thinking.
> 
> Note: English is still not my mother tongue and I don't have a beta so if you see any awful mistake, please, tell me so I can correct them. ^^
> 
> Happy reading !

**Chapter 2**

 

Barry used the few minutes he had to himself to examine his cell. Like in the plans he had studied, it was small, only furnished by bunk beds, a little table in one corner and a sink and a toilet on the other. There was a blind spot just next to the johns. _Perfect_. His escape would start in his cell, so now that he had checked that he could dig his way out of it without unforeseen issues, Barry's determination only strengthened. Now, he only had to wait to discover who would be his cellmate. He just hoped he would be lucky enough to come across a guy he could easily convince to join his break out party. If his roomie turned out to be a problem, Barry was sure a guy as well connected as Snart would be able to have him moved with a more suitable cellmate. If Snart agreed to help him…

There were too many "ifs" on his mind right now and it was starting to give him a headache. Checking he was still alone, Barry knelt next to the toilets and looked at the screw that fixed the metal furniture to the wall. Examining it, he rolled his left sleeve up to reveal the tattoo of a beautiful snowflake. The center of the striking symbol drawn on the inside of his wrist had the same size and shape as the screw in front of his eyes. Barry smiled.

_Perfect fit._

Suddenly, he heard his cell door open and hundreds of footsteps echoed from the room bellow. The inmates were back from their afternoon stroll on the courtyard. Standing up, Barry sat on his bunk and acted as relax as possible. But on the inside, his heart was beating like crazy. His palms were sweating. So much depended on chance for this part of the plan…

But when he saw who entered his cell, Barry couldn't help but huff a little hysterical laugh. Luck was definitely on his side today, because none other than his golden ticket had just walked in.

"Barr'?" Asked the young Hispanic man, his dark eyes wide with surprise.

Standing up, Barry felt all of the stress he had been holding roll off his shoulders as he stepped forward and hugged the man that had stopped dead in his track in the cell entrance.

"Cisco, it's so good to see you, man", he sighed in relief.

After a second of numb surprise, Cisco hugged him back with enough strength to smother him, but Barry didn't mind at all. He only realized at this moment how tired and anxious he had been. But now that he had found his friend and only real ally inside this prison, everything would be alright.

Barry and Cisco had been pals for a long time now, since the day they had meet during one of Barry's first case with the CCPD. There had been a break in at S.T.A.R Labs a few years back and the young CSI had been called to the crime scene to work his magic. He still had been in training at the time and had immediately hit it off with the genius mechanical engineer that was Cisco Ramon. He had been the only witness to the robbery. Just one conversation bonding over their love of Sci-Fi had been enough to make them BFFs.

 _They were such nerds_ , Barry thought back with nostalgia.

They had taken the habit to meet once a week to watch movies or to play videos games until Cisco had made the biggest mistake of his life. He and his brother had never really seen eye to eye, but when Dante Ramon had asked his little brother for help, Cisco had agreed without hesitation. What had been supposed to be a simple delivery swiftly had turned into a drug deal gone wrong. Cisco had tried to protect his brother and as a reward, he had been sentenced to three years in Iron Heights. Barry had regularly visited him over the past year, since his imprisonment, but he hadn't told him about his plans yet. Because Cisco would have freaked out if he had known what he was about to do. But despite remaining unaware of his friend’s plans, Cisco had been able to get him news of his dad. Henry Allen was in lock up without visitor rights since he supposedly killed that guard and Barry hadn't seen him in more than six months. None of them had any idea of what he was up to… at least until now.

Because Barry needed Cisco. First of all, he was the only one in here he could really trust, and also, because he was a genius in his field. Barry would require different tools to achieve his escape and his friend was even more crafty and resourceful than Mac Giver.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Finally asked Cisco, still locked in their embrace.

"I've so much to tell you. Come, let's talk", answered Barry, finally stepping back, his hands on his cellmate’ shoulders.

Still a little dumbstruck, Cisco nodded and entered the cell.

Yes, they had a lot to talk about.

 

Len took his time to go back to his cell, deep in his thoughts. He had lost track of the lovely newbie once he had entered the main building, but he knew he would soon see him again. And from close up this time. Did he really have green eyes? Len loved green eyes… Most of the new inmates generally ended up in Gen Pop, so he wouldn't have to wait long to meet him. He crossed path with Zoom again, the guard simply nodding in respectful understanding. It reminded him of the conversation they had had this morning.

 _It's just a kid, barely 25 years old_ …  _His name's Barry Allen._

None of the other new convicts he had seen earlier fitted that profile, except the lanky kid that had caught his eyes. What if him and this Barry Allen were the same person? It was very likely. The thought made him smile. If he was right, and he often was, the kid was now living in the cell next to his own. They would be neighbors. _Perfect._

While getting up the stairs, Mick just behind him, Len’s eyes landed on a scene that left him dead in his track. The first thing he noticed was the fact that indeed, Barry Allen and the kid definitely were the same person. But, the second and most concerning thing was that he and Cisco Ramon, his new cellmate, were currently snuggly wraps in each other's arms. Mick bumped into him from behind and frowned. "What's the hold up, Snart?"

When Len didn't answer him, Mick looked above his shoulder to see why he still wasn't moving.

"Little Vibe boy found a new roomie? And a cuddling one as it seems. Lucky bastard", said Mick, his gruff voice making him sound like he was always grunting.

"Looks like it", answered Len between gritted teeth.

He finally moved along, Allen and Ramon disappearing into their cell. He only had a few minutes before the C.O would close all the gates for the evening. It wasn't enough time to really get acquainted with the kid. He would have to wait until diner but he couldn't help himself. He had to see what he really looked like. Leaning against the railing between their cells, Len crossed his arms and pretended to be deep in his thoughts. From the corner of his downcast eyes, he could see Allen and Ramon sitting on the bottom bunk, talking vehemently to each other in a hushed tone. Thankfully, the new kid was facing the door, giving Len the leisure to stare at him. He didn't care if Allen saw him, but it was unlikely with how engrossed he seemed by his conversation. His mop of brown hair was even more disheveled form close up, like if the kid had the bad habit of ruffling them with his hand. His face was indeed boyish, with a pale smooth skin peppered with some beauty marks. Len still couldn't see the color of his eyes as they were downcast at the moment. The jumpsuit he was wearing wasn't really alluring, but it was fitting enough to make out a strong and lean body. He had his sleeves rolled up, revealing his tattooed forearms. Something hot settled in Len's guts at the sight. He kid had all of the traits of a boy-scout, but his boyish looks allied with those tattoos created a combination that was deadly for Len's libido. The loved a good mystery and never backed down from a challenge. He didn't even know the kid yet, but he already presented enough contradictions to pick his interest.

What did an ex-cop that seemed so pure and innocent was doing in a place like Iron Heights?

He used to be a CSI, but had robbed a bank. He looked to have fallen right out of a teenager's movie but had arms covers in complicated and beautiful tattoos… And, somehow, he knew his sister. There was something about him that didn't compute in Len's brain. He was the best at reading people in no time, but Barry Allen was a mix of contradictions and mysteries he couldn't understand. Yet. Because he was going to find out what the kid was hiding. And he was sure he was going to enjoy plucking every one of his secrets,  _very_  slowly.

Licking his bottom lip, Len was about to strengthen up when, suddenly, Barry lifted his gaze to bore right into his. And then, he saw his eyes.

_Oh my God, those eyes…_

They were green alright, but not only. There was a little bit of gold here, a little bit of hazel there. They were mesmerizing. So clear, so pure, so crystalline. Len got lost under their power, completely forgetting his surroundings. He also lost track of time because far too soon, a bell rang throughout the prison block, breaking their intertwined gaze. It was time.

"Everybody inside!" Yelled a guard.

Len glanced one last time at Barry Allen to see that the kid was still staring at him with those deadly eyes. He was blushing, his smooth skin tinted in the most beautiful shade of pink.

 _Well, hello Scarlet_ , Len immediately though.

He also had a strange, almost hopeful look on his face and there was something buried deep in his eyes, like some sort of dark determination. It twisted something inside Len's chest. Concluding their silent exchange with one of his signature smile, he stepped into his cell just as the gates were closing. Holding onto the bars, Len only realized now how labored his breath was. And his heart was beating like a drum against his ribs. And he was hot around the collar of his jumpsuit. It was _so_  not like him to lose control.

He hadn't even said a word to the kid for crying out loud!

It was ridiculous, insane. He wouldn't be so easily upset by a simple pair of eyes, as beautiful as they may be. Mick must have noticed that something was wrong with him because he laid a gentle hand on Len' shoulder. "Snart, what's wrong? Do you know the kid? "

"No". Len's voice was raw, his throat dry. "I don't. I'm okay Mick, just tired."

He knew he was a good liar, but Mick didn't buy his excuse this time, looking at him with a raised skeptical eyebrow. There was something about this kid… Len really needed to get laid if a single look at a pair of green eyes could overwhelm him so. Maybe he really was tired.

"Drop it, Mick".

Raising his hands, giving up, the arsonist turned around to throw himself on his bunk. "Whatever Snart. Wake me up for supper." He closed his eyes, taking a nap.

Len was feeling more like himself now. He decided to blame his strange behavior on the heat. He actually was a little tired. Climbing on the top bed, he laid down, his hands behind his head and looked at the sealing. Today had been a long day. He would feel much better after a little nap himself. When he closed his eyes, Len could only picture a green, clear gaze. But it didn't seem to bother his so much, because a few minutes after, he was dozing off, a small smile on his face.

 

Blue. All Barry could see was blue. He only had had the time to expose the outline of his plan to Cisco in a hushed tone when he had felt like someone was watching him. So, he had lifted his eyes, only to be trapped in the bluest gaze he had ever seen. He knew his mouth had been gapping a little as he had scrutinized the face of the owner of those amazing azure eyes.

Leonard Snart.

And his pictures hadn't done him justice. At all. He was… just by looking at him, Barry's brain had short circuited. He was, without any doubt, the most beautiful man he had ever seen. With flawless slightly tanned skin, very short salt and pepper hairs; that was far too hot on a man that looked so young, and a face that must have been chiseled by angels. His mouth was perfectly outlined, sinful. Barry flushed furiously just by thinking about how good his mouth looked. He was leaning against the banister in front of his cell and was watching him as if he wanted to eat him alive. And his eyes… bluer than the sky in august, more deep and changing than any lake. Gorgeous. Stunning.

Barry had known that Leonard Snart was attractive. Of course he had. But seeing him standing just outside his cell in the flesh was very different than watching simple pictures. He had a sex appeal that made Barry blush even harder. He radiated authority and power, confidence and determination. It was not the kind of man you could recklessly deal with. He was the boss.

Barry's gaze took him from head to toe, noticing his broad shoulders, his tall and strong stance. But he always came back to his eyes. They were hard to decipher, but Barry though he could see a sparkle of lust in them. It made his inside tight and hot.

_God, this man was sex on a stick._

All too soon, some kind of bell rang, abruptly ending their gazing match. Snart turned his head toward the sound, before looking at him one last time. A drop-gorgeous smile on his face, he then disappeared into his cell, just next to Barry's.

And now, he was blind. All he could see was blue.

"Whoa, smolder alert! Since when do you know Captain Cold?" Suddenly asked Cisco, forcing him to drop back to earth.

Ah, yes, _Captain Cold_ , Snart's criminal nickname. He used to think that it suited him, but Barry was starting to suspect that his apparently cold and composed exterior hide something far more passionate on the inside. Nobody coldhearted could have such warm eyes. Shaking his head to regain his composure, Barry turned back toward Cisco. To be honest, he had completely forgotten that his friend was here. All around him had vanished once his eyes had found Snart's.

"What?" Barry was still a little dizzy. "I… I don't know him", he answered honestly.

Cisco lifted a doubtful eyebrow. "Okay, so what was all this  _eye fucking_  business about?"

Barry scoffed. " _Eye fuck_ … What the hell are you implying?" But he knew that something had definitively transpired in their gazing contest. He couldn't understand what it was, because they didn't even know each other. But a strange connection had undeniably happened and it scared him a little.

Cisco was looking at him, wide eyes, like if he was the biggest of fools. "Duh! He was looking at you like a starving wolf looks at a juicy sheep. But whatever…" He threw his hands in the air in dismissal. "Just be careful with him, he's like the Don Corleone of Iron Heights. He's maybe gorgeous, but he's dangerous."

Barry knew that, of course. He planned on being really,  _really_ careful. Even more now that he had seen the man. He was undeniably dangerous, and not just because of what Cisco had just said. Despite this, Barry couldn't help but huff a laugh at his friend words. "Gorgeous?" he asked with a mocking smile.

Cisco glared at him. "You know what I mean. I'm maybe straight, but I'm not blind, man. But I much prefer his sister to Snart' stupid face." He added with a dreamy look.

Barry could relate. She was very beautiful, cunning and as devilish as her brother. Just Cisco's type. "Lisa", he stated.

"You know her?" Asked Cisco, frowning.

Barry smiled. "A little."

It was the truth, more or less. To make sure that Snart would help him escape, he had decided to leave nothing to chance and had tracked down his sister. He had still been with the CCPD at the time, so finding her had been quite simple. Lisa had been living in a warehouse at the time, one that belonged to her brother. After threatening Barry with a golden gun, she had agreed to hear what he had to say. The only thing he had to do to convince her to help him out had been to expose the outlines of his plan to her and say the word "break your brother out". Lisa was clever; Barry was convinced she was even more cunning then what she led on. She actually had been a great help during the planning of the escape. She had stolen the maps of the prison for Barry, introduced him to a lot of interesting people and had even arranged the first meeting with the tattoo artist who had made the break out possible. They had schemed and plotted together until everything had been set. They had become quite close in the last few months and it was through her that Barry had learnt to know Snart a little better. His criminal file was thick enough and full of information, but Lisa had been his greatest asset in his attempt to try to understand the man behind the Captain Cold persona. Barry felt like he knew Leonard Snart and it was why he hopped he would agree to his break out proposal.

"You're doing it again", noticed Cisco, breaking his journey through memory lane.

"What?"

"This faraway look you have when you are thinking too much".

His friend knew him too well. Rubbing his neck with a stressed hand, Barry said in a hushed tone: "So, what do you think about my plan?"

Cisco tucked his long dark hair behind his ears and huffed a desperate breath. "It's crazy, man. Like dangerous, deadly crazy". He looked Barry in the eyes and leant forward to be sure nobody could hear them. "But I'm in. It's to save your dad's life. So, yes, I'll help you", he added.

Barry let out a relived sigh he wasn't even aware he had been holding. "Thank you Cisco."

"But I'm not breaking out with you. I've only nine months left before my early release. So yes, I'll help you and make you any tools you want, but nothing else", warned Cisco with a very serious look.

Barry could understand his friend choice, because after the break out, they would become outlaws. They would have to leave everything, their old life, their family and their friends behind. But it was a problem. He had to dig a hole in their cell so, after the escape, when it would be found, Cisco would be accused of helping him. Because no convict could punch a hole in their wall without his cellmate noticing. But they had more than two months to think about a solution. They would make it work. Barry owed Cisco that much.

They talked a little more while Barry changed. He swapped his jumpsuit for something more comfortable, putting his new pants and sweater on. Cisco took the opportunity to examine his tattoos and ask questions about them. A good part of his chest, back and arms were now covered in various drawings and symbols. Most of the different steps of his escape plan were hidden and coded among the tattoos, but they also had a deep meaning for Barry. Like the lightning bolt that now adorned he middle of his chest, for example. It represented the nickname most people had given him his whole life and hid the pattern of his way out of B Wing. The big snowflake inked on the inside of his wrist held the measurement of a few tools he would need and also expressed his absolute love of winter.

As he was explaining to Cisco the meaning behind the complicated Aboriginal symbol drawn on his forearm, another bell rang around the block.

"Dinner time", said his friend.

Their cell door opened and Barry stepped out and followed Cisco along the gallery, then down the stairs. He saw Snart a few feet ahead of him, speaking with a guy big, tall and nearly bold, with the broadest stature he had ever seen. Barry suddenly saw his profile and recognized him. Mick Rory. He was one of Captain Cold's Rogues and was known as Heatwave (due to his hothead disposition and fondness for lighting things on fire), his favorite partner in crime. They had been arrested together and according to Lisa, Mick and Leonard had been best friends since childhood. They were like brothers.

Barry followed the crowd of inmates to the cafeteria, near the main building. Most of them whispered in his wake while looking at him, sometimes curious, but more often with calculating and penetrating stares. A deeply nervous shiver ran through his back. He felt like a piece of meat dangling above a shark tank.

"Ignore them", advised Cisco. "Most of these guys act tough, but it's just make-believe. When I arrived, some of them tried to mess with me but as soon as I stood up to them, they left me alone."

They were about to enter the cafeteria when Barry caught another inmate’s eye and stopped dead in his track. He knew this man. He wasn't sure where he had seen him before, but something deep and unsettling clawed at his insides while looking at him. He was in his early forty, with straw blond hair, pale cold snakelike eyes and a nasty smile.

"What about him?" He asked Cisco, nodding toward the strange man that kept watching him like a hawk, while leaning against the wall next to the lunch room entrance. There was something really disturbing about the way his eyes trailed over his body. His gaze was almost… teasing. But not in a good way. It made Barry felt cheap and dirty.

Cisco face paled as he saw who Barry was talking about. "This one is bad shit crazy. Don't even try to go near him. It's Eobard Thawn."

"The serial killer?" Now he understood why this man seemed familiar. Barry knew him by reputation. He had killed at least twenty people back in the late 90th and had been caught by the CCPD only because he had surrendered himself to the police. He had spent the last seventeen years in prison and would stay behind bars for the rest of his life. Barry would never forget the date of his arrest, because it had happened the same day as his mother’s murder. Because of the mayhem that Thawn surrender had created in Central City, the police and emergency had taken too much time to reach their house. By the time they had burst through the door, Nora Allen had been dead, her real killer had disappeared and Barry had been sitting motionless between his mother corpse and his knocked out father for far too long.

"I thought he was in solitary, locked away from the other prisoners", remembered Barry, hurrying along to put as much space as possible between him and Thawn.

Cisco and he stood in line to get their lunch. "Used to be", answered his friend. "But he was released in Gen Pop a few years ago for good behavior, assuming such a thing exist for a psycho like him."

Pushing back a foul shudder at the simple thought of having to share a block cell with a man as Eobard Thawn, Barry moved along. Him and Cisco picked their food tray (filled with some kind of meatloaf that smelled and looked awful) and neared a table already occupied by an elder man with silver hairs and slim glasses.

"Good evening, gentlemen", he greeted, waving a hand to invite them to join him. He was smiling, friendly, his warm, kind eyes shining with cleverness.

"Good evening, Professor", answered Cisco, sitting next to the man. Barry took the seat in front of his friends and gave a little smile to the stranger.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your young friend?" Asked the elder man to Cisco, focusing all his attention on Barry. There was also a sparkle of mischief in the man's eyes. Barry liked him immediately.

"Oh, sorry", said Cisco, his mouth already full of food. "Barry, meet Professor Martin Stein. He is kind of my chess/lunch buddy around here. Professor, this is Barry Allen, my best friend."

Barry and Martin shook hands before the elder man asked with a conspiratorial smile: "And what does a fine young man as yourself is doing in a place like this?"

Barry huffed a laugh and started eating. It tasted better than it looked. "Bank robbery", he eventually mumbled between two bites.

Martin rolled his eyes at that. "What is it with young people and easy money…"

"And you Professor Stein? Why are you here?" Asked Barry in a hushed tone.

To be honest, he already knew why this man was in Iron Heights. In fact, he had learnt a lot more about Martin Stein than what his criminal file revealed. Because, Leonard Snart and Cisco Ramon weren't the only people he needed by his side to escape. This ex physicist, who had been incarcerated for illegal possession of some very dangerous chemical products, was another key person he hoped would join his break out crew. He suspected him to be one half of  _Firestorm_ , a famous duet of highly intelligent and white collar thieves that had stolen more than 5 million dollars back in the 70th. They had never been found, but Barry had done his job and he was sure Martin Stein was the only remaining living member of  _Firestorm_. His partner in crime had died many years ago and the money had disappeared with him. Martin had been arrested not long after that and had spent most of his life in prison. But Barry guessed he must know where the remaining millions were hidden. They would need this money to disappear after the escape.

Once again, luck was on his side, because who would have thought that he would have none other than Cisco as his cellmate, and that his friend was himself acquainted with Martin Stein? Barry wouldn't have to waste precious time befriending the professor. Cisco had unknowingly already done the job for him. Now, he just needed to convince him to join his crew… and Snart.

He had to meet the man, sooner rather than later. He would probably be the hardest one to get on board with his plans.

"A simple misunderstanding", finally answered Martin with an affronted grimace. It made Cisco laugh in his glass of water, proof that was something Stein was saying far too often. "I, Mister Allen, am the innocent victim of a wrongful sentence", he added with conviction.

Cisco finally burst out laughing. "Stop trying to win him over, you old scoundrel."

Stein seemed highly offended by Cisco's outburst, but then, his eyes sparkled with mirth and he joined him in his hilarity. Barry had watched their exchange with a little smile. They really seemed to get along. He was happy to see that Cisco had met a real friend in a place like Iron Heights. Eating in silence, he watched them argue about everything and nothing with fondness, unaware that he was himself the focus of too many undesirable attentions.

 

Len had barely started eating when he saw Barry Allen and Cisco Ramon, thick as thieves, sitting with the old Stein in the table just next to his. If he focused enough, he could hear what they were saying. He couldn't help but hide a smile behind his hands when he heard Ramon introducing Allen as his best friend. That explained the hug. If anyone dared to say that he felt any trace of relief when he heard the news, Len would have punched him in the face. But the fact remained that knowing that the kid was unattached to anyone in Iron Heights pleased him.

And apparently, he wasn't the only one thinking that Barry Allen was a really nice addition to the prison population. The kid seemed wildly unaware of how many convicts were glancing in his direction with more than just a little appreciation in their eyes. That would not do… That would not do at all!

When he noticed that Eobard Thawn; sitting in a table in the far corner, was also watching Barry as if he was a piece of meat, Len suddenly felt tense. The serial killer was known to choose among the youngest and prettiest convict to express his urges and darkest desires. Nobody had ever been able to prove anything, but it was common knowledge that Thawn had roughen up a few enough to send them to the infirmary. This guy was a sick bastard. Len hated him. He was the leader of the "white" gang, filled with racists and rednecks. Moving Allen to the cell next to his own had been a very good idea. This way, he would be able to keep an eye on the kid and prevent any vicious fucker like Thawn from approaching him.

"If you keep looking at the kid like that, you'll soon drill holes into his skull", said Mick in a hushed tone. Len turned his attention back to his friend, who was sitting next to him, munching on his meatloaf. "If you find him so fascinating, just go talk to him already!" He added, waving his fork in the general direction of Barry Allen.

Mick was right. He should introduce himself to the kid. Not because he was dying to hear what his voice sounded like, but as a courtesy. Allen ought to know who was in charge around here. It would be a good idea to do it in front of everyone, making clear to the others convicts that the kid was under his wing. It would put all of those who looked at Barry with lust in their eyes back in their place, preventing any further issues.

Len finally stood up, allowing Mick to wolf down the rest of his food; he had always hated meatloaf. He crossed the few steps between him and Stein, Ramon and Allen's table in a heartbeat and stood there, his arms crossed. The old professor and Cisco stopped their fervent conversation to lift their eyes toward him. They were facing him, but the kid had his back turned, so he hadn't noticed Len's presence yet. But he definitely saw his companions faces turn white; their eyes wide open in evident surprise, because Allen suddenly tensed. He must have finally felt that someone was standing just behind him.

"What?" He asked, glancing over his shoulder. Allen's gaze landed on his stomach, before moving up his body to dive into Len's eyes. From this close up, Barry's pupils were even greener. He was breathtakingly pretty. Forcing his mouth to form a little smug smile instead of gaping like a total fool in front of the kid's utter cuteness, Len stretched a hand toward him.

"Leonard Snart", he said in a voice far huskier than usual.

"I know", answered the kid, looking a little dazed. A blinding smile appearing on his pretty lips, he lifted his own hand and introduced himself. "Barry Allen."

The moment his fingers touched Len's in a firm grip, a static shock shot through his whole arm, sparkling something deep inside his chest.

"I know", Len answered a little breathlessly.

It felt like he had been struck by lightning. It felt like fate…

\---------------------------

Any comment would be greatly appreciated ! 


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 

Len got once again lost in Barry Allen's green eyes. But he recovered faster than the last time when Martin Stein asked, breaking their once again pretty intense gazing match: "Good evening Mister Snart. To what do we owe this pleasure?"

Len could smell sarcasm from a mile away and the professor’s question was definitely ironic. Stein and he had never really lived in the same prison circles but they respected each other. The older man was a legend in Iron Heights and had always enjoyed teasing him. The fact that he treated Len as an equal had always meant a lot to him. In all honesty, he just liked the old fool. Releasing Barry's hand and turning toward Stein, Len saluted him with a little nod. "Good evening Professor. I was just eager to meet our newest guest."

Barry blushed again. Yes,  _Scarlet_ was definitely a suitable nickname.

"Then join us, please", offered Stein.

Taking the last empty seat at the table, just next to Allen, Len decided to go straight to business. Half facing the kid, he asked: "So, Scarlet, why does a CSI suddenly decide to throw his promising life away to rob a shitty bank?"

Barry arched a surprised eyebrow. "Scarlet?"

"It suits you."

As an answer, Allen blushed again.  _Figures._ From where he was sitting, Cisco Ramon hid an exasperated huff behind a cough. Giving him a dirty look, Len turned back to Barry and pointed out: "You haven't answered my question".

Frowning with suspicion, Barry face hardened, revealing the outline of the man hiding underneath his boyish looks. "Why do you want to know? And how do you even know who I am and why I'm here?"

His questions were legitimate, but even if Len had already a soft spot of those big green eyes, he didn't know the kid. His instinct told him that Barry Allen was as pure and genuine as he looked, but he could be wrong. And in a place like Iron Heights, mistake weren't allowed, especially for a man of his status.

"I've my sources", eventually answered Len. "As for the reason behind my curiosity, let's just say you intrigue me."

"Me? Intriguing?" Barry snorted, as if Len had just made a joke.

Really, the kid vision of himself must be faulty because, did he really have no idea how fascinating he was?

Leaning toward Barry to be sure nobody would hear them in the noisy cafeteria, not even Cisco and Stein, Len whispered: "The few things I know about you are full of contradictions. And those qualify as intriguing in my book, Scarlet."

“What contradictions?” Asked Barry, staring at his tray and playing with his food.

Len waited until the kid looked up and found his eyes before answering in a hush tone: “CSI VS Bank Robber, your boyish looks VS those tattoos, your candid face VS the darker, deeper gleam in your eyes. There’s something about you and I can’t put my finger on it. The fact you know my sister is also very intriguing, because you’re not usually the kind of people she hangs out with. And there is the fact that you are Henry Allen’s son of course… So you see, a lot of contradictions, thus, a lot of questions I’m dying to know the answer to.”

The kid was staring at him, his eyes widening during his speech. Len saw the muscle in his jaw tighten when he mentioned his father. Finally, after he was done talking, Barry dropped his gaze for a second before glancing back at him underneath his lashes.

“And what makes you think I’ll willingly answer any of your questions about me?” Retorted the kid with a playful smile.

Len’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. There was definitely more about him than meet the eye. He had spunk. “I usually get what I want and I can be _very_ persuasive when I really wish to achieve something”, soughed Len with a little smirk of his own.

He liked this game! And it seemed that Barry was also quite enjoying himself because he leant towards Len and stared at him with fiery eyes. "You might get your answers. But is it truly what you want? Because I’ve heard that you _loved_ a good mystery…" teased Barry with a voice as soft as velvet.

_Fuck… that was hot!_ The little devil. _Oh, he was good_ , decided Len. He had been right when he had said there was something darker inside him. The kid was enticing… it had Len's brain short-circuit.

On those more than enticing words, Barry Allen stood up and turned his attention back to Cisco and the professor. They were looking had them with slightly gapped mouth.

"Let's go, I'm not hungry anymore and I would like you to show me around a little", the kid said to Cisco. Ramon shook his head before leaving the table as well.

"I'll go with you, if you don't mind", offered Stein. "Mister Snart, goodnight."

Len smiled at him and wished him goodnight as well. "Ramon, Scarlet", he said, nodding toward Barry and his friend.

"Snart", answered the kid with a cute smirk, Ramon only giving him a little awkward wave.

Then the three of them walked out of the cafeteria. Len returned to Mick' side, thoughtful. After his first encounter with the kid, he only was sure of one thing: he wanted to decipher the enigma that was Barry Allen.

He was in for a hell of a ride.

_What the hell had just happened?_  Barry thought as he was leaving the cafeteria. He was never this forward,  _with anyone, ever_ … What was it about Snart that made him act so impulsively? Barry was supposed to head their conversation toward the escape, not flirt with the guy. Shaking his head at his own foolishness, Barry followed Cisco and Stein through the hallways.

As they neared the B Wing entrance, the professor pointed in different directions while saying: "Here is the common shower room and the access to the laundry. Some P.Is are assigned to wash the clothes but in case of an emergency, you can use it as well. The warden' office is just above us. Twice a day, without considering the meals, we are allowed to walk  _freely_ in the courtyard, once in the morning, once in the afternoon. You can have access to the library if you want, it just around the corner, but don't expect anything extraordinary from their book collection. The visitor rooms are back in the main building. And… I think this is it. Welcome to Hell, Mister Allen."

Barry smiled at Stein. He was passionate when he was speaking, even when it was about something as trivial as Iron Heights' facilities. He could have tried to talk to him about the escape, but Barry decided against it. After all, it was only his first day and he wanted to learn to know the interesting professor before cornering him about the break out. He needed to convince Snart first anyway, and find a way to see his father…

The three of them slowly made their way back to the block. Stein showed him that his cell was on the ground floor, opposite from theirs and near the middle. He was sharing it with a guy he called “ _thick as two short planks”_ but harmless. Cisco and Barry wished the professor goodnight and went up to their floor. There, they leant on their elbows against the banister in front of their cell, laughing about some joke Cisco had just told. Finally, Barry buried his face in his hands and sighed. "I can't believe I'm actually here."

"Yeah, that's definitely the stupidest thing you have ever done, and coming from me, it's saying a lot", answered Cisco.

Barry glanced at his friends between his fingers and they burst out laughing. It was kind of insane for two normal guys like them to be here right now. If anyone had told them where they would end up a year ago, they would have shrieked with laughter. It was so ridiculous… A CSI and S.T.A.R Labs' employee of the month in Iron Heights? Unbelievable. And yet, here they were. Barry felt Cisco put a supportive hand on his shoulder. At least, they were in this together now.

"As awful as it sound, I'm really glad you're here, man," admitted Cisco.

Dropping his hands to show his face, Barry looked at his friend with affection. "Me too. Because I  _really_  need your help on this one."

"I know, Barr. I know. We'll start to scheme tomorrow, I promise."

"Thank you Cisco".

Barry wanted to hug his friend, but a voice erupted behind them, making him turn around instead. "What do we have here?"

Barry came face to face with none other than Eobard Thawn. From up close, his eyes were even more reptilian than before. It froze him to the spot and made him shudder with disdain. The serial killer looked at him from head to toe, licking his bottom lip in a ravening manner. It made Barry both angry and sick. _He wasn't a piece of meat, for Christsake!_

"Nice to see a fresh, young face around here", added Thawn, three of his men standing behind him like an escort of bodyguards. They all looked dumb and mean. "What is your name, Pretty?"

Barry looked at the hand Thawn held toward him with a raised eyebrow. There was no way in hell he would shake hands with a man like him.

"I don't see how it's any of your business", answered Barry, before turning away to face the banister once again. He felt Cisco tense next to time, proof that he had just made a huge mistake.

As quick as the snake that he was, Thawn stepped into this personal space and leant on him to whisper in his hear: "You didn't seem so hostile earlier with Snart… I was only trying to be polite, Pretty. But if you don't want to learn to respect your eldest, then so be it. I don't need to know your name to fuck you six ways to Sunday."

Barry's eyes went wide with horror at his words. When he felt a hand slide on his back toward his ass, he acted on instinct. He seized the invading fingers in a tight grip and twisted them to the side in a swift rotation of his wrist. He heard something crack in Thawn's hand and the man toppled to the floor with a whimper of pain. Barry only let go of his fingers when he was sure his assailant was incapacitated. It all happened so quickly that his followers didn't have a chance to react before Barry had whispered into Thawn's ear: "Don't touch me again."

He took a step back just as the man’s lapdogs sprang to his rescue. They lifted him from the floor, his reptile eyes glaring at Barry as if he wanted to skin him on the spot. "You'll pay for this, boy", he threatened, holding his injured hand with trembling fingers.

"We'll see about that", Barry shot back, tensing his muscles and ready to fight. He was ready for them. He hadn't spent the last six month training with a self-defense teacher for nothing.

But just as two of Thawn’s minions were stepping in his direction, a low whistle resonated. They all turned to the sound to discover Leonard Snart; standing a few feet away from them, with his arms crossed. Mick Rory, Mark Mardon and two others Rogues that Barry didn't know about were behind him with fierce looks on their darkened faces.

"I think you should go now, Thawn", drawled Snart with a little smirk and a poised voice. When his eyes landed on Barry, he could see some kind of admiration swimming in his blue pupils. Barry hid a smile behind his hand, more than a little smug.

"Yes, it would be wiser for all of you to get back to your fucking cells!" Came the voice of officer Zolomon from the first floor. He was looking up at them with a frown, his club dandling between his fingers.

His eyes still throwing daggers at Barry, Thawn straightened up. "You better watch you back, Pretty. Because I'm going to shadow you like a hound", he said in a menacing hush, walking away with his lapdogs following closely.

Barry watched him go before he felt Cisco give him a brotherly tap on the back. "Man, that was awesome! Crazy, but so badass. Since when do you did you become a ninja?" His friend face was a mix of wonder and anxiety. "But you really should keep a low profile from now on. Angering this wacko is not in your best interest", added Cisco in a whisper.

They surveyed Thawn and his minions as they reached the ground floor and vanished in their respective cells, the leader still holding his sprained fingers.

"You're the one who told me to stand up to them so they won't bother me anymore", pointed out Barry.

Cisco rolled his eyes in response. "Yes, but I wasn't talking about the prison's Ted Bundy… Whatever, I'm going to bed. One evening with you here and I'm already developing a heart condition. You'll be the death of me, man", concluded his friend before disappearing into their cell.

Barry followed him with his eyes, laughing, when he suddenly realized that Snart was still here, watching him. His Rogues were gone, but the man was leaning against the wall between their cells, his arms still crossed and a little smile plastered on his handsome face. He transpired a natural nonchalance that was undeniably attractive.

Facing him, Barry said with a grin: "Thanks for the assist."

"You're welcome, even if you didn't really need it", answered Snart with a raised eyebrow. "You really are full of surprises, Scarlet."

When the man's gaze scanned his body from head to toe, Barry suddenly felt hot and heady. What he was now experiencing was the polar opposite of his reaction to Thawn. But Leonard’s eyes were not deceitful and demeaning, they were fervent and admiring. Taking one step forward, nearly cornering Snart against the wall, Barry huffed a little laugh.

"You have no idea…" he soughed just next to Leonard's ear before sidestepping him to enter his cell. Barry took advantage of their close proximity to breathe his scent in. He smelled like winter; crisp, fresh and minty, mixed with something manly that was all  _Snart._  It was intoxicating.

But before he could fully step into his cell, Barry felt Leonard fingers brush against his wrist, making him shiver in the most delightful way. He stopped, still standing just next to him, shoulder to shoulder and turned his head to look at the man. They were so close Barry could see sparkles of silver in Snart's eyes.

"Careful Scarlet, if you play with fire, beware the burns", Leonard whispered with a devilish smile.

Barry knew he was blushing again. But it didn't prevent him from inching closer, until their faces were nearly touching, before saying in a rough voice he barely recognized as his own: "I rather play with cold."

Snart’s blue pupils darkened in an instant and it took Barry's breath away. Once again, the bell announcing the closing doors rang out, breaking the spell. With a frustrated smile, Leonard stepped back and entered his cell. Barry did the same, their gaze interlocked until the barred gates closed for the night. Leaning against the wall, he exhaled, knowing his cheeks were awfully flushed.

"Dude," started Cisco, sitting on is bed with wide eyes. He had obviously witnessed his little _moment_ with Snart. "You're soooo screwed!"

A desperate laugh escaping his mouth, Barry whined: "I know, man. I know."

 

Len's night was short but restorative. He slept really well, which was pretty rare since he had stepped foot in Iron Heights. It maybe had something to do with the fact that for once, he had had a nice dream. A  _very_  nice dream. When he woke up, it was to find Mick already awake and sitting on their desk with a book in his hands. Contrary to common belief, his friend was far from stupid and often enjoyed reading a good novel. He even had black rimmed glasses perched on his nose. They were Len's but since they had the same optical correction, Mick borrowed them from time to time.

Glancing at him over the glasses' frame with a raised eyebrow, he asked: "Sleep well?"

Len sat on his bunk and stretched his back until in popped. "Very", he sighed before jumping down to use the johns. After spending one year in the same cell and most of their life as a crime duo, Mick and he didn’t have any issues with each other privacy anymore.

"I can tell, with how noisy you have been…" implied Mick with a little mocking smile.

"What do you mean by _noisy_?" Asked Len, while changing into his P.I jumpsuit. Today, they were scheduled to work on repainting the A wing infirmary.

"Seems like you were having a good time in your dreams", finally answered Mick without lifting his eyes from the book.

Len stopped in the middle of buttoning his overall to glance at his friend. Had he really been that noisy? Because, yes, he had had good reasons to moan in his dreams. But he wasn’t usually the kind of man to speak in his sleep. Len remembered how good Barry Allen had looked, gloriously naked and inviting in front of him. In his mind, the kid's body had been flawless; an expense of smooth tattooed skin and long limbs that could easily wrap twice around his hips. And those big green eyes, how they had looked positively sinful when Barry had engulfed him fully in his lovely mouth. The kid had begged for Len to take him, to own him, to wreck him…

Len abruptly decided to stop trying to relive his dream. Now wasn't the time to fantasize about Barry Allen. Or at least, not here, in his prison cell with his best friend sitting a few feet away and looking at him with knowing eyes.

"This kid has really done a number on you", noticed Mick, going back to his book.

He was right and Len realized how crazy it was. Why was he so ridiculously attracted to a kid he barely knew for more than a day? And there was still the burning question of how his darling sister had known about Barry's arrival in Iron Heights. It wasn't the kind of guy she usually hanged out with. How had they met each other?

Len decided he would call his sister as soon as he would have the chance. If she could help him out uncovering one of Barry Allen’s mystery, it would be greatly appreciated.

Soon after, the block cells opened for the breakfast/morning stroll. Len and Mick would go to P.I directly after. As they made their way to the cafeteria, he saw the kid a few feet ahead of him. He was talking with Ramon but glanced above his shoulder at the moment Len's eyes landed on the back of his head. It was like Barry had been able to sense his gaze. He smiled at the kid in what he knew to be a wicked way and wasn't disappointed. Barry blushed, immediately, and Len would have sold his soul to the devil just to see how low his flushed skin could go…

Like the evening before, Allen and Ramon took a seat at Martin Stein's table. Len and Mick joined Mardon and Bivolo at their usual spot and Snart tried his best to ignore the kid and everything that was related to him. Like the melodic sound of his laugh, the way he threw his head back when he did; displaying his long pale neck, or the fact that he preferred cereals to oatmeal and drank his morning coffee with an absurd amount of cream and sugar.

Len had always had the tendency to obsess over things. For example, when he was planning a heist, he could spend weeks fixating on every aspect of his plans, only able to think about his goal and sometimes forgetting to eat or sleep. But he had never obsessed over people before, or at least, not like this. He used to study guards and police patterns when he was designing a robbery, but never a single person. And definitely not an adorable kid that invaded even his dreams. Len had never let himself fall for anyone. Since he was a kid, he had decided to only care about two things: Lisa and he. Mick had smashed his way into this life (and cold heart) over the years, but nobody else. He, of course, had had fleeting affairs but had always run away when things had started to become serious. Len didn't want to fall in love. He didn't even truly believe in such a thing. Love was weakness, a direct pathway into his heart. And he had promised a long time ago that he would always keep it safe. His childhood had been proof enough that this world was not made for the weak…

So, his immediate obsession over Barry Allen was already becoming a problem. Len had to pull himself together as soon as possible. Because he had known him for barely a day, and he already had the feeling that this kid would be able to worm his way into his cold heart in no time. That was maybe what Lisa had been counting on when she had told him about Barry. His sister had always said that he deserved love… She was good. Because the kid was just the thing he had always wanted but never had let himself fall for. He was dangerous.

Or did life in prison had become so dull that he now found himself consumed by the first interesting thing (or person in that case) that came along?

In any case, he really needed to get a grip. Or get laid. Or both.

But would he be able to resist the mystery that was Barry Allen, even if it meant he would get himself burned in the process?

_If you play with fire, beware the burns,_ he had said to the kid. Maybe Len should start listening to his own advice…

Finally in P.I, Len managed to put Barry Allen out of his thoughts. Physical work had always been able to calm his nerves and quiet his swirling thoughts. He was painting his wall in peace when suddenly; Zoom came out of nowhere and appeared at his side, making him slightly jump in surprise. He hated when the C.O did that…

"Morning Cold", said Zoom with a conspiratorial smile.

"Morning boss. What can I do for you on this beautiful day?" Asked Len with a false enthusiasm.

The guard had a tendency to grovel a little too much lately. He didn't remember the last time Zoom hadn't bothered him with trivial gossips and anecdotes a least once a day. It was true Len paid him to keep his eyes and hears open in case something could benefit him, but he didn't need to know about every convict intimate secret either. He still shuddered at the memory of Zoom's description of Oliver Queen's private call in the A wing. Apparently, the most VIP inmate of all VIPs had a tendency to punish himself in the goriest way. But Len hadn't needed to know this kind of things. Not ever.

"I just heard something that might be of interest to you", started Zoom in a hush toned. Len stopped himself from rolling his eyes.  _Here we go again…_  "It's about the Allen kid."

Len nearly dropped his paintbrush but remained cool and controlled in front of the C.O. His face emotionless, he just raised an eyebrow, feigning a slight interest. "What about the kid?" He enquired, keeping his voice even.

"Thawn and his KKK crew, they were talking about ambushing Allen to make him pay for whatever he did to that psycho", answered Zoom with a vicious smile, as if the potential beating of Barry was entertaining in his mind.

Len gripped his teeth to hide his anger. "Any idea where and when this is supposed to happen?" He asked in his best drawling, indifferent voice.

"In three days, shower time. They talked about needing to find the right blade or something".

Nodding in understanding, Len dipped his brush in the paint at his feet, still looking unaffected. "Good luck to him, then" he said, concluding his business with Zoom.

The C.O got the message and vanished as fast as he had appeared. Len looked around and once he was sure nobody could see him, he let himself fall against the wall. Frowning, he thought about what he had just heard. Thawn, this vile fucker, was planning on hurting Barry.

_Not on my watch!_  Growled something instinctive and fierce inside of Len.

Today was Thursday. So, the attack was scheduled for Sunday evening. If the infamous Captain Cold was good at one thing, it was planning. And he now had three days to plot and schemed to make sure that nobody, and certainly not Thawn, would ever hurt Barry.

With a little smile on his face, Len resumed his work. Planning was good, mechanical. It would prevent him from thinking too much about everything that was Barry Allen. And the fact that he was now planning a job to save this very kid had nothing to do with his obsession. No way. It was just business. He needed to show Thawn who was the boss around here and if it saved Barry from a beating in the process, so be it. It wasn't his problem.

Yes. Scheme. Plan. Plot. The best remedy against big green eyes.

 

All things considered, Barry was having a pretty good day. If he forgot the fact that he was in prison and that his father was scheduled to die in a little more than two months. He still didn't know how to pass him a message, but Barry was confident he would find a way. After all, the presence of his father would only be essential the day of the escape. He just needed him to be on the right place at the right time. All the planning and digging that had to happen before could easily be done without Henry Allen's knowledge. Barry was even convinced that the less his father knew about the break out, the better. He was still afraid his dad would turn him down, refusing the idea that his son had sacrificed himself and his future to break him out. But Barry didn't have a choice. He had to try. His father was innocent and he would not let him die in vain.

It was now mid afternoon and he, Cisco and Stein were walking in the courtyard. Thawn and his man had been looking at him with narrowed eyes this morning, but they seemed to have let it slide, at least for the time being. Maybe Cisco was wrong, maybe the fact that he had stood up to Thawn hadn't been such a crazy idea. Only time would tell. His eyes scanning his surroundings, Barry let Cisco and Stein conversation drift into the background of his brain. He was focused on checking that the blueprints hidden in his tattoos and essentials to his escape, were consistent with the reality spread out in front of his eyes.

Everything seemed to be in order.

"What do you think, Mister Allen?" asked Stein, looking expectantly at Barry.

Turning his attention back to the conversation about black hole he had just overheard, he answered with what would soon become his typical response to one of Stein question: "It's not really my field of expertise and it's such a vast subject. I rather want to hear what you think, professor."

And… Stein was once again engrossed in a passionate discussion with Cisco.

Barry liked to listen to them talking. It created an ambient buzzing that calmed him and allowed him to think. He still needed to talk to Snart. He was planning on doing it this very night, around diner or the next day at the latest. He had to start the practical part of his plan and for that, he needed Snart's help. Speaking of the devil, the infamous Captain Cold stepped into the courtyard. He was still followed by Mick Rory and a few other Rogues. Maybe it could try to talk to him now…

But as he was about to excuse himself to Cisco and Stein, a tall and strong jawed guard wave at him and called: "Allen, the ATOM wants to see you". He had a pleasant face and smiled when he walked toward them.

"Who?" asked Barry, with a raised eyebrow.

"It's the warden's nickname", informed Stein, clearly surprised.

The warden? What did he want with him? Barry just hoped it had nothing to do with what he had done to Thawn… Sharing a stressed look with Cisco and the professor, he let the guard, named Hall, guide him to the office of Iron Heights' director. It was a short trip from the courtyard and far too soon for him to calm his nerves, Barry was sitting in front a big oak desk. The warden wasn't here yet so the C.O stayed with him, chatting with the secretary. She was young and pretty, with a dark caramel skin and big brown eyes. Barry heard the C.O call her Kendra. Shutting off their obvious flirtation, he looked around.

The warden's office was far more welcoming than what he had expected and very high-tech. There was a lot of complicated machines laying around, the latest coffee maker on one corner of the desk and a huge IMac as a computer. It looked more like a mad scientist lab than the office of a warden. Barry had of course done some research about Raymond Palmer, the young and ambitious new director of Iron Heights. Since he had started running the prison, three years ago, Palmer had greatly improve this place safety and infrastructure. He strongly believed in his prisoners' rehabilitation and had done everything in his power to make the inmate's everyday life less tedious. He had create the library, a training room, a basketball court in the yard and had greatly diversified the P.I works. In short, Raymond Palmer was a good man who saw the convicts as human beings instead of trash. He had great plans for this place, but had meet a few financial issues along the way. Because of some budgets problems, the new buildings had been constructed too fast and without enough care. So, the P.I were now assigned to take care of more and more renovations. It was a good thing for Barry's plan. Thanks to his study of the prison's new blueprints, he had found a big flaw in the security that he would use to break his father out.

A door in the far corner of the office opened and Raymond Palmer appeared. He smiled at Barry when he saw him.

"Good afternoon, Mister Allen", he stared. Glancing at the guard, he added: "That will be all, Carter. I'll call you later to escort Barry back to the courtyard."

Carter Hall nodded, winked at Kendra before leaving, closing the door between the secretary and the warden office behind him. He and Palmer were alone. Rubbing his neck with a stressed hand, Barry watched the warden, who looked more like a Disney prince than anything else, sit at his desk. He had a stylish haircut, black shinning tresses, big dark eyes and kind of a goofy smile. He seemed really nice, which was strange given his chosen profession.

"I'm sure you are wondering why I asked you here", said Palmer with a funny face, as if he was feeling guilty for Barry's obvious anxiousness.

Barry just shrugged. The warden opened the file that was laying on his desk and began:

"You see, Barry, can I call you Barry?" He nodded, still really confused and Palmer added: "When I first read your file, I thought Kendra had made a mistake because, why does a good kid as yourself would throw away his promising career in forensic science to end up… here. I mean, it's crazy right? But then I realized that maybe fate had put you in my path for a reason. You see, Barry, you really don't belong in Iron Heights, you shouldn't have been put in a supermax."

Palmer dove his dark eyes into Barry's as if he wanted to read his thoughts. After a few seconds of scrutinizing him, the warden went on: "But again, I read your file more carefully, especially the "family" section and understood why you have asked to spend your jail time here. You are Henry Allen's kid, right?"

Barry cleared his dry throat and answered: "Yes." His palms were sweaty and his heart was beating faster by the second. Where was he going with his little monologue? Barry was lost.

Palmer leant on his elbows and squinted his eyes, deeply serious. "That's what I thought. And here is when I realized it must be fate, because what were the odds that an ex CSI would waltz his way into Iron Heights when I just happen to need forensic expertise?"

"So, you need my help?" Guessed Barry.

The warden smiled again, far less intimidating now but looking kind of sad. He pushed the folder he had been reading toward Barry so he could take a look. He had thought it had been his criminal file but his eyes widen in shock when he discovered several very gory pictures of a women's corpse. They looked like crime scenes' photos. There was even several autopsy' shots. It was a case file from the Starling City Police Department. Lifting his gaze to meet Palmer distraught eyes, Barry felt his chest tightened.

"You knew her?" He asked.

Palmer sat back to his desk chair, arms crossed and answered; now avoiding Barry's eyes:

"Her name was Anna. She was my fiancée. She has been murdered last year but the SCPD have closed the case for lack of evidence. They never found out who did it. They say it's a closed case, but I can't just give up. I need to know… I need to know why."

Barry saw unshed tears shining in Palmer's eyes. It reminded him of all those victims' relatives he had seen daily when he still worked for the CCPD. Grief was a feeling he knew all too well…

"What can I do?" Asked Barry without really realizing it.

His deep, instinctive need to rescue others had once again outrun his brain. He wasn't here to help Raymond Palmer but to break his father out of prison for Godsake! But Barry had never been able to stop himself from providing assistance to people in need. And right now, the warden seemed so desperate…

"If you could just read Anna's case and help me with my own investigation, I would be eternally grateful to you. I have set up a kind of private lab in the next room…" explained Palmer, standing up and pacing nervously. "If you agree, I could even arrange for you to meet with your father. Twice a week. How does that sound?"

Barry gapped in genuine wonder before letting out an amazed breathe. Did this man just offered him a chance to see his father on a silver platter? He would have access to the warden's office, to a freaking lab and would finally see his dad again…

Standing up, Barry held his hand toward the warden, a huge smile on his face.

"Then we have a deal, Mister Palmer."

"Please, calm me Ray", he answered, shaking his hand with a similar grin.

Things were going ever better than he had expected. Now, he just had to talk to Snart and the break out could actually begin. Barry felt invincible. Luck was definitely on his side for once in his life, so what could go wrong?

Right?

____________________

What do you think ?


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay but I've been quite busy lately. I hope the next one will be easier to write. In the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter where you'll meet a new member of Team Flash!
> 
> Happy reading ^^
> 
> Note: As always, I've no beta and English is not my mother tongue so if you see any grammatical error, please let me know.

**Chapter 4**

 

When Len talked to Mick about Thawn's intention to hurt Barry, he was immediately on board to stop him. His friend may look crass and gruff, but he was a big softy on the inside. He was like a huge teddy bear really, with arsonist tendencies, but a teddy bear nonetheless. He hated cowardice and when people tried to hurt kids. Yes, Barry was an adult, but he looked so young and innocent that he was considered as a kid in Mick's book. So, Len and he spent their afternoon plotting and Snart could almost feel like himself again. Nothing better than a little scheme to cheer him up.

When it was time for their afternoon stroll around the courtyard, Len planned on keeping an eye on Barry. But as soon as he walked out, he saw the kid being approached by Carter Hall, one of the most honorable C.O of Iron Heights. He was just and fair and had always treated the inmates with respect. Len liked the guy, even if he was one of the few he had never managed to corrupt to his advantage. The guard and Barry soon disappeared into the main building. Was the kid having a visitor? He would soon find out anyway, so Len decided to use his free time to call Lisa.

One of the courtyard phones, near the north fence, was free. Inmates were allowed one phone call per day. Picking up the receiver, Len dialed his sister's mobile number and only had to wait a few seconds before she answered with her usual: "Jerk?"

"Trainwreck", he retorted with a little smile.

Those were sweet words for them.

"What's up?" Asked Lisa.

Len could hear the sound of a busy street on the other side of the line. He missed the noisy and turbulent life in Central City… But instead of moping about things he used to enjoy about his old life and would never have back, Len went straight to business:

"How do know Barry Allen?"

"So, I was right. He _is_  your type. I knew you two would get along", said Lisa with a smile in her voice.

"That doesn't answer my question. Since when do you hang out with cops?"

"Ex-cop. Do not insult me! I haven't completely gone out of the rail since you went away", she pointed out, sounding affronted.

"Okay, my bad. Ex-cop", conceded Len, rolling his eyes even if she couldn't see him.  _God she was annoying!_ "So, since when do you hang out with  _ex-cops_?" he repeated.

"He came to me a few months ago with an offer I just couldn't refuse. And if you're calling me to know about how we met, I guess he hasn't told you anything yet".

What offer? He was even more intrigued now, if it was possible.

"And I guess you wouldn't tell me what this offer is, even if I begged you?" Guessed Len.

"You never beg.  _Gosh_ , the kid is good. Barely 24 hours and he already has you wrapped around his little finger". Len hated when she mocked him.

"The kid is nothing but an interesting distraction that prevent me from dying of boredom", he answered between gritted teeth.

"If you say so…" Lisa didn't sound convinced at all but added nonetheless: "If you must know, Barry needs the both of us for something, but I won't tell you anything more. You'll have to go talk to him if you want to uncover his secrets. And I know how much you love mysteries…"

The kid and his sister were definitely in on trying to kill him with frustration.

"Fine, I'll talk to him. But next time I see you, you better tell me everything. I may love mysteries, but I hate when people are going behind my back", gave up Len without real anger in his voice. He couldn't be mad at Lisa for more than 5 seconds…

"And how is Mick? He hasn't brunt down your cell yet? Does he still have his huge crush on the doctor?" asked Lisa with genuine interest.

Len sighed and went on this her new topic of conversation. He would never win with her…

When his call to Lisa ended, a good fifteen minutes later; his sister could be so chatty sometimes, Len walked toward Mick, who was watching a basketball match and shouting at the players. They stayed silent for a few minutes, enjoying the game, before Mick turned toward him to ask:

"How is Lisa? Did she tell you anything about the kid?"

"She's fine and no. She says I have to talk to him myself. But she told me about some problems with the Santinis. It's nothing she can't handle. They tried to make a move on our neighborhood last night but that's sort out now", answered Len.

Even if his sister had tried to reassure him, he was still worried by this news. Even before he went away to Iron Heights, the Santini family already had an eye on his businesses. Since then, they had made several attempts to claim ownership on his neighborhood, without success. But it was only a matter of time before they lunched a bigger offensive.

"Those misogynist fuckers," growled Mick. "They will never believe that a women can replace you at the head of the Rogues, even if it's Lisa."

"She and Peek-a-Boo are tougher than any man", added Len, crossing his arms and looking around to make sure not Santini allies were nearby. "They are planning a heist as we speak that will prove their worth to all the other families. I'm confident they can pull it off, I trust them. It's the others I'm worried about."

Lisa and Shawna; more usually called Peek-a-Boo due to her incredible infiltration skills, were now the leader of the Rogues. They handled Len's businesses like nobody else and kept his neighborhood safe from outsider's attacks. But the fact that they were women didn't sit well with the other Central City mafia families. And because of Mick, Mardon, Bivolo and Len's arrest, they had had to recruit some new Rogues he didn't fully trust.

Mick nodded with a grunt. They didn't have any other choice but to sit and wait. Lisa would succeed. There was nothing they could do from inside Iron Heights anyway. But if things went sideways, it would be very bad. Len would lose his status and income of money, which means, no more leverage on the other gangs or favors from the C.Os. That would be a disaster.

"How's Shawna?" Asked Mick.

"Still pregnant and with Mardon here with us, she tries to handle thing the best she can. I've told Mark that planning a job while expecting a child wasn't the greatest of ideas… but he's a stubborn son of a bitch". Len's eyes spotted the man. He was on the winning basketball team and seemed to really enjoy himself. But he knew better.

Mardon and Shawna had met because of him and it had been love at first sight. They had become inseparable. The fact that he was now in prison for the next ten years at least was a torture for them, especially with her pregnancy. When Mark had been arrested for trying to kill a cop, she had only been two months off but she was close to terms now. Being away from her must really eat him alive…

"Lisa asked me about your doctor", said Len to get on a cheerier subject.

Mick lifted an eyebrow.

"She's not  _my_  doctor", he pointed out but his face soften as the mere mention of her.

Len let out a little laugh. Mick had had a thing for Caitlin Snow, the infirmary doctor, for months now. He had to see her every day for his insulin shoots (hard to think a man who spent his time eating could suffer from diabetes) and her sweetness had melted his rough heart. Len had had the chance to see them interact several times when she had stopped along the fence to great Mick and there was definitely something going on between those two. The way his friend smiled at her and his voice softened in her presence was all the proof he needed. And Len had seen the good doctor's eyes linger on Mick's strong arms and chest far too often for it to be an accident. He even had caught her staring at his ass once.

"Lisa has done some research on her. And apparently, she's single and kind of a bookworm. She doesn't go out much except for groceries and books", Len told with a conversational tone, just to see Mick's reaction.

He wasn't disappointed. This friend face went from anger to hope, than anger again. It was really entertaining.

"Tell Lisa to leave her the hell alone", Mick started, pointing a threatening finger to Len's chest. "She's really single?" he added with a softer tone.

Len hold his hilarity back and simply nodded affirmatively. They resumed watching the basketball match in silence, Mick looking a little dazed, lost in his thoughts. Len smiled.

 

"He said what?" Cried out Cisco, his eyes wide with astonishment.

"Ssshhh. Quiet!" Shushed Barry, looking around. Thankfully they were alone in their corner of the courtyard, most of the convicts gathered around the basketball field to watch the game. Martin had disappeared as soon as Barry had come back from the warden's office to play some chess with another inmate. Once he had made sure nobody could overhear them, Barry had told Cisco everything about Palmer's proposition.

"That's amazing, Barry", said Cisco in a more hushed tone. "When are you going to see your father exactly?"

"On Wednesdays and Sundays. Ray has arranged for me to visit him in his cell for two whole hours. I can't believe I'm going to see him in just three days. It's been nearly six months…" The deep emotion he was feeling grew into Barry's throat, making him speechless for a moment. His heart was beating hard with hope and he couldn't stop smiling.

"Do you still plan on not telling him about the break out?" Asked Cisco with a serious face.

Barry had told him about his intention to keep the escape from his father for as long as possible, but now that he was going to see him regularly, he didn't know if he would be able to hide such a huge thing from him. Barry was a bad liar when it came to his family, they always seemed to see right through him.

"I intent to, but I'm sure he will have so many questions about why I'm here. I don't know if I'll manage lying to him…" confided Barry, wincing.

Cisco patted his shoulder with a sympathetic hand before glancing toward the crowd around the basketball field.

"Are you sure you really need Snart's help to pull it off? I mean, how can you trust a guy like him with your father's life? He's a crook!" Warned Cisco, his eyes sill focused on something above Barry's shoulder.

Glancing behind him, he saw that his friend was glaring at Snart, which seemed engrossed in the basketball game. "Yes, I'm sure. I trust Lisa and she trusts him. I don't have a choice anyway. He's in charge of P.I and we need his help to plan our disappearance once we'll be outside."

His eyes staying on Snart a little longer than it was strictly necessary, he heard Cisco whine: "I can't believe you're friend with Lisa Snart. When were you planning on telling me you knew the women of my dreams?"

Barry turned his head to face Cisco and laughed.

"Once we're out and you finish your sentence, I could introduce you to her", he offered.

Cisco only huffed, waving a disbelieving hand before leaning forward. "So, when do we start digging your way out of our cell?" He enquired.

"I'll need a few tools first and then we can begin", said Barry before lifting the sleeve of his sweater up. "Do you see the center of the snowflake?"

Cisco nodded.

"I need a piece of metal of his exact shape to unscrew our toilet from the wall and some kind of file to weaken the brick's joints. It's the first step of my plan. Then I'll be able to go in and out of our cell and work on the rest", finished Barry.

Cisco took his wrist in his hands and looked attentively at the tattoo. Barry could nearly see the gearwheel inside Cisco's head speeding up as he concentrate.

"It should be easy enough. The screw from the bleachers have the same shape as your tattoo. Just a few adjustment and it will be perfect", finally said his friend, smiling.

He was enjoying this. Barry could tell. A mind like his must wither in a place like Iron Heights. A little challenge and action must be like a breath of air for him.

"In the meantime, I need something else from you", asked Barry, making a funny face.

Cisco saw in his eyes that it wouldn't enjoy this. "I'm almost afraid to ask…"

"I need you to punch me in the face", said Barry with a deep determination.

"What? Why would I do that?"

"I need to go to the infirmary. It's the weakest link in the prison' security and our gateway to freedom. I have to go there and check everything is in order."

Barry knew it sounded crazy, but he really needed to see the infirmary's infrastructure with his own eyes. It had been built recently and the new blueprints had been the hardest to find. He wasn't really sure they were accurate because of the budget cut and all the last minutes changes. The infirmary was a crucial part of the break out and he had to know what to expect before starting the whole thing.

Cisco was looking at him as if he had grown a second head. Finally, he asked with a little hysterical laugh: "And you haven't found a better solution than me punching you in the face?"

"Do you have a better idea?" Retorted Barry, annoyed. When he saw Cisco shrug, unable to offer him another solution, he added: "That what I thought. Listen, if you don't want to do it, then tell me who is the most hothead convict in here. I'm sure I can find someone who will be thrilled to punch an ex-cop."

Cisco answered without hesitation: "Mick Rory."

They both turned toward the man in question, yelling something incredibly rude to one of the basketball player. He really looked like the kind of guy who would punch someone in the face just for the sake of it. He would probably even enjoy it… Barry had learnt from Lisa that there was much more to Mick Rory that meet the eye, but in the current situation, he needed the brute, not the kinder man hidden underneath.

"I should have guessed", whispered Barry. Squaring his shoulder, ready to face the beefcake that was Mick Rory, he glanced one last time at Cisco with a painful smile. "So… wish me luck!"

"You mean right now? He will tear your head off!" Warned Cisco, his eyes wide with horror.

But Barry was already walking toward the arsonist.

Determination and breathing. That was the key. He would not faint like a damsel in distress, even if his heart was beating hard enough to hurt his ribs.

_Don't freak out… DO NOT freak out…_

He needed to think about why he was doing this. He had to save this father. It was all for his dad.

Feeling more confident now, Barry stopped just next to the arsonist. Snart had disappeared somewhere and the crowd was scattering. The game was over.

"Rory! I need a favor", Barry said without a pause.

Mick Rory looked at him as if he was dirt on his shoes.

"And why would I waste my time with you, jailbait?" The man grunted, walking away.

Barry followed him, having no problem keeping up with his hurried pace. He always had been fast on his feet…

"Because you'll like what I have to offer." He went on, finally managing to hold Rory's attention.

Stopping to face him, his big arms crossed on his muscle chest, he asked with a frown: "I'm listening."

Barry want straight to business and said: "I want you to punch me in the face, hard enough to send me to the infirmary."

Mick Rory looked shocked than he burst out laughing. "You're badshit crazy, kid, you know that?" He seemed more amused than closed off now, which was a good thing.

Barry rolled his eyes. He knew that, people really didn't need to point that out all the time… "You're not the first one to call me that. So, what do you think?" He went on, still very serious.

It must have shown on his face because Mick's expression turned solemn. He lifted an eyebrow as if he was genuinely interested now. "And what do I get in return?" He asked. "Because the COs will see us and I don't need any more trouble."

"You'll tell them I started the fight, I'll back you up. As for the other thing, I've nothing to offer you apart from the utmost satisfaction of punching an ex-cop in the face", answered Barry, hopeful.

He really must be crazy for wanting a man built like a tank to knock him out… But before he could think twice about the absurdity of the situation, Mick said: "Good enough for me", then punched him right in the jaw. Barry stepped back, dizzy but not as much as he had imagined. Lifting a hand to his slightly painful lip, he noticed it was only grazed.

"I'm barely bleeding. Come on, I know you can do better than that", urged Barry, sure Rory hadn't put all his strength in the blow.

Mick seemed impressed, probably picturing him as featherweight. "You stronger than you look, kid", he pointed out.

"Come on big boy, don't be shy!" Taunted Barry with what he knew was a cocky smile.

"Snart will never let me hear the end of it…" Mumbled Rory, rolling his eyes before angling his upper body backward, ready to punch him with all his strength.

And Barry fell. Hard. The last thing he saw was Mick big fist coming toward his face. He felt his cheekbone smash, and the ground punching the air out of his lungs. Then, everything went dark.

 

Len couldn't believe what he had just seen. A few feet from where he had been speaking with Mardon, was Mick, with an unconscious Barry Allen at his feet. His friend had just punched the kid like a sack of potatoes. A visceral anger clawing his way out of his chest, Len ran toward the fighting duo.

"What the hell, Mick?"

He barely glanced at his friend before kneeling next to the kid. An angry red mark marred the left side of his face and his lips and cheekbones were bleeding. He was about to demand an explanation from Mick when Carter Hall and Zoom appeared at their side.

"What happened here?" Asked Zolomon.

Mick just shrugged. "The kid insulted the winning basketball team and… it pissed me off", he simply answered.

Len felt his inside burn with anger.  _What the hell?_  He couldn't believe his friend. But as soon as he looked at him, Len understood he was lying.

"It's the second time in a week you've punch someone, Rory. You know what will happen if you do it again?" Threatened Zoom, pointing a menacing finger toward Mick.

The arsonist held his hands in the air as if it wasn't his fault. "He started it."

"Right", huffed Hall. "If I see ever you in another fight, you'll spend the rest of the month in isolation. Is that clear, Rory?"

"Crystal, boss", said Mick before kneeling next to Len. Zoom and Hall turned toward the little crowd that had gathered around them to quell their enthusiasm. The convicts loved fights. It was like bad reality TV for them: you know it's silly but you can't help but watch it.

Len used this opportunity to ask in a hushed voice: "Why did you punch him?"

"He asked for it", mumbled Mick, looking quite concerned with the kid now that nobody else was watching.

"What?" Whispered Len, puzzled.

"He really just asked me out of nowhere to punch him in the face hard enough to send him to the infirmary", explained Mick, looking genuinely clueless.

This kid was crazy…

Finally, once the little crowd scattered, Zoom staying in the courtyard to make sure everybody would stay calm, Carter Hall crouched to the ground and looked at Barry.

"I think it would be safer to bring him to the infirmary", decided the C.O "Snart, would you carry him for me please? My back is still hurting". Carter Hall had been very badly injured and had nearly lost the use of his legs six months ago during the A-Wing riot.

Nodding, Len sneaked his arms under Barry's neck and knees and lifted him from the ground. He was heavier than he looked, but he could manage. Glancing at Mick, Len granted him a glare, sign they would definitely talk about it later, and started making his way toward the main building. The kid was still knocked out cold and his head joggled around a little until it found his home, tucked under Len's chin. Walking slowly behind Carted Hall, he couldn't help but smell the kids' hairs. His scent was warm and coppery, like the summer morning air after a lighting storm. He loved it. Barry snuggled against him in the most adorable way and Len had to stop himself from smiling like a goon. His body was incredibly warm and fitted perfectly against Len's chest. From this close up, he could see each one of his long lashes, every beauty marks sprinkling his smooth skin and his rosy lips seemed so soft… Len decided to stop looking at Barry's face to prevent his mind from wandering too much. He simply held the kid close to him and followed the C.O in the corridors.

Finally, they arrived at the infirmary. Carter opened the door for Len and he gently laid the kid on the cot in Doctor Snow examining room. She wasn't here yet but one of the nurses went looking for her as soon as she saw them. Leaning over Barry, Len noticed his eyelids were starting to flutter. He was waking up. Just as he was about to straighten up, Len felt the kid's hand seize his collar to keep him close. Finally, his eyes opened. Barry was still a little dazed and smiled at Len as if he was an angel send from heaven. It made something melt inside his chest.

"Am I dreaming?" Asked Barry with a dazed grin.

Len let himself be trapped in the kid's green eyes once again and smirked. "I don't think so, Scarlet".

"Shame", answered Barry before his eyelids fluttered close again and he started lifting his face toward Len's.

Wait? Was he…? But just before anything happened, their nose barely touching, the kid' eyes opened again in a start. He seemed scared now. Letting go of Len's collar, Barry stated in a horrified voice: "Oh my God, I'm dead!"

He then watched his surroundings with wide eyes and a slightly panicked breathing. The kid straightened up in a sitting position far too quickly for someone who had just been knock out. Nearly head-butting Len in the nose, Barry seized his own face between his trembling hands with a wince.

"Ouch… my whole head hurts. Which is a good thing, I guess, it means I'm not dead", mumbled the kid to himself before remembering the fact that he wasn't alone.

Len had taken a step back but was still looking at him, his hands raised in a peaceful manner. Barry seemed to finally come to his senses and offered him a contrite smile. "Sorry for the freak out".

Len shook his head. "It's okay, Scarlet."

"You've been punch pretty hard", came Carter Hall, who was watching them from the open door.

_Damned_ , Len had completely forgotten the C.O was still here.

Barry frowned, probably trying to remember and finally, something akin to glee sparkled in his eyes. He hid it immediately, but Len, who stood close to him, had definitely seen it. He kept watching the kid, wondering how being punch in the face hard enough to be send to the infirmary could be a good thing. But then he remembered what Mick had said earlier. The kid had asked to be punched. That's what Barry had wanted all along. What was so important about this infirmary that he would go to such length to get here? This kid really was crazy… or ready to do anything to achieve a mysterious goal.

Was he a junky, trying to steal syringe from the good doctor? No. Barry didn't look like a drug addict. Len could have betted the kid had never even smoked a joint… Then why go to such extremes to get here? Was he trying to get meds? For him? For someone else?

But before Len had had the chance to think about a satisfactory answer to his questions, Doctor Caitlin Snow entered the room.

"Good afternoon gentlemen", she said with her usual kind voice.

The three men turned toward her and Snart saw her clear brown eyes widen in concern when she noticed the purple bruises that were starting to appear on Barry's jaw and cheekbone. She glanced at Carter Hall and asked: "Who did this to him?" before walking to her patient' side.

"Rory", answered Hall.

Len saw Doctor Snow roll her eyes as she was putting some gloves on. While she was starting to examine the left side of Barry's face, who winced, she said: "We've talked about it this very morning. I've warned him to really get a hold of his temper if he doesn't want to end up in the S.H.U.".

She seemed genuinely concerned by Mick's possible isolation. Len couldn't help but hide a smile behind a little cough. Barry's eyes once again met his and he winked at him. The kid blushed. It was soooo entertaining…

"Thank you, Carter. You can accompany Mister Snart back to the yard. I'll ask another guard to take care of Mister Allen when I'll be done with him", concluded Snow, still focused on her patient.

She was cleaning the cut on Barry's cheek when Len and Officer Hall stepped out of the infirmary. The kid eyes were still on him, he could feel it even with his back turned. Allowing himself one last glance at Barry before he was out of sight, Len raised his eyebrows in an appraising manner, his eyes scanning he kid's body from head to toe. He saw him bite at his bottom lip, forgetting it was injured before he let out an audible "fuck" as a result. Len laughed openly and disappeared around the corner.

He had so many more questions to ask Barry now. He couldn't wait to talk to him.

_Tonight_ , promised Len while he was being escorted back to the courtyard.  _Tonight._

 

When Barry woke up, he was feeling oddly light, like he was floating. His cheek was flattened against something soft and that smelled amazing. But all too soon, the giant pillow that held him in a world of cuddle tried to get away. That would not do… at all! He was slowly regaining consciousness and attempted to open his eyes. He reached blindly forward to get a hold of what had cradled him so gently a few seconds ago and when his vision finally cleared, Barry smiled. Two beautiful blue eyes were looking at him and he recognized the face of their just as gorgeous owner. Leonard Snart. He asked himself if he was dreaming, but realized he must have said it out loud because Snart smirked and answered him. Barry still felt really fuzzy and so warm. He was in a dream… and the other man's face was so close, he smelt so good and his lips… Oh my God his lips were unbelievably sinful. He wanted to taste them. No, he  _needed_  to taste them and consequences be damned. He was in a dream after all. Barry felt himself float again and raised his head to kiss the man, but then another not so awesome thought carjacked his mind. What if he wasn't dreaming? All seemed suddenly to bright and real to be a dream. And then, a sickening feeling seized his chest and he felt his heart speed up. He couldn't feel his body… Oh my God… He was dead! Barry straightened up. He couldn't breathe. But as he was about to really freak out, an awful pain shot and spread thought the whole felt side of his face.  _Ouch…_

Good news: he wasn't dead and was in the prison infirmary, exactly where he needed to be.

Bad news: he had nearly kissed a very real Leonard Snart, who was now looking at him like he was a frightened bunny and…  _fuck, he was in pain!_

He apologized to Snart and felt better when Carter Hall, who he hadn't realized was even here in the first place, reminded him that he had just been punched in the face. Yes. Of course. He remembered now. Mick Rory. Right. The son of a bitch was really strong! But important thing was that he had made it. He was in the infirmary.

Speaking of which, the Doctor Caitlin Snow stepped into the room and immediately took care of his injured face. She was really pretty, with long wavy chestnut hair, kind brown eyes and a friendly gaze. She was young, probably around Barry's age and was gentle and thoughtful when she started treating his bleeding cheek. Despite meeting her for the first time, his attention was quickly drawn back toward Leonard. And the bastard winked at him. Barry felt himself blush like a schoolgirl in front of a crush. He really had to stop ogling the man, but it was hard when Snart kept watching him with those… devilishly attractive blue eyes of his.

It was unfair, really! No human being could be unaffected by a gaze like this!

Anyway, Doctor Snow saved Barry from himself when she asked Carter to leave with Snart. But the cold hearted bastard still managed to cast him a last breathtaking look that turned him into goo. He even bit his newly injured lip in the process.

These shenanigans had to stop! Barry had to keep his head in the game. The next time he would see Snart (because he still needed to talk to him about the escape), it would be all business. No lingering looks, no wandering eyes and NO MORE distractions! Barry was stronger than this for Christsake. Snart was just a means to an end,  _drop dead gorgeous_ , but still only a tool to unsure his father's survival. Putting his thoughts about Leonard aside (far, far away, please), he turned his attention back to the issue at hand: Cailtin Snow and her examination room.

"So, Mister Allen, what did you do to deserve such a treatment from Mister Rory on your second day among us?" She asked with a little smile. She was applying some kind of ice bag to his cheekbone.

"It was my fault", Barry shrugged and grimaced when Doctor Snow started cleaning his bloody lip. "I guess I still need time to find my place here…"

Still focused on treating his wounds, she said: "I know this place seems harsh and it can be. You must be careful, especially for someone who used to work for the police. But if you look close enough, you'll find that all is not as bad as it seems. There are good people here. Most of those men don't have a bad bone in their body. They have just… lost their way."

Barry was watching her as she spoke and wondered why a woman so sweet was working in Iron Heights. She seemed far too good for this place. He had only found little information about her while planning the escape. She was the daughter of the famous biomedical engineer Carla Tannhauser, and had started to work at the prison a few years back, after the tragic death of her fiancé. Maybe it had been her loss that had pushed her to work here … She seemed to believe the best in people, like Barry. He liked her immediately.

"I was actually hoping to meet you, Mister Allen, but not under those circumstances", she added, finally looking him in the eyes.

Barry lifted a surprised eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

She let out a little laugh. "It's not often I get to meet a convict with a scientific background such as yours."

"I'm not the only scientist here", said Barry with a frown.

"Yes, but most of them are engineers or physicists. You have the same medical background as me, except you decided to specialize in criminal science. And we went to the same college", she explained.

Barry smiled at her. She was really kind. They talked a little more about their experience at the Central City University before Caitlin was called by one of her colleague. She was only gone for a few minutes, but Barry used this precious time to check on a few things. First, the window facing the north wall was just as he had pictured it. It was only a few feet away from the fence. Perfect. Then, Barry knelt next to the sink and looked into a manhole. The pipe underneath was leading right to a storage room on the floor below. That would be their way to the infirmary. Finally, Barry checked the state of the bars in front of the window. They were old.

When Doctor Snow came back to the room and finished treating his face, Barry was still smiling. For the time being, everything was going according to plan. He could do it. He would save his father. All he needed to do now was talk to Snart. He just hoped he would be persuasive enough to convince him…

\--------------------

See you soon ^^


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm back with a brand new chapter. Barry and Len will have "the talk" at last. Hope you'll like it.
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
> Note: As always, if you see any grammatical error, please let me know so I can correct it as soon as possible. ^^

**Chapter 5**

Time in prison was a strange thing. It went too slow and at the same time, made things happen faster than in real life. But it was only logical when you thought about it. In the outside world, people had jobs, hobbies, obligations. In here, they were just… waiting. Sure, they had things to pass the time but it wasn't the same. So, to lessen boredom, the convicts would just start to interact with one another. Humans were creatures who needed communication, to create relations, from hatred, to camaraderie, to friendship… to love. In closed quarters, as in a place like Iron Heights, the fact that they all had to spend their time together nearly 24/7 had the tendency to strengthen those feelings and the need to bond with another human being. One day in here was like a week on the outside. Time was swelling, expanding, making everything more powerful, heightened. Friendship grew faster, hate burned brighter. Even the smallest gesture could have a huge impact. It was like living with a ticking bomb in your head. It made everything more intense because you never knew when the other shoe would drop. It was maddening and exhilarating at the same time.

Barry had never understood why some people that had met in prison would become so close, nearly like brothers. But he was starting to realize why, looking around him while he was eating in the cafeteria. Life in prison was rough, the daily life tedious, frustrating. Living in a place like this created an undeniable and unbreakable bond between people. Because they had to go through all of it together. Because they had to survive it and become stronger in the process. He only had been here for a day but it felt like so much more and Barry already started to feel trapped in his own skin. The only thing that comforted him was the thought that he wasn't alone. They were all in the same boat. Together.

Right then, watching Cisco talk with Stein, Barry was feeling closer to him than ever. He barely knew the old professor, but he was deeply convinced he was a good man. He didn't know where this introspection came from, but he as sure he was right. Maybe it was because of what Doctor Snow had said. That if he looked closely enough, he could see a lot of good in the men surrounding him. Sure, some of them where lost causes and real psychopaths. But most of the other convicts where just… lost souls.

Barry smiled despite himself. Maybe he was being too sentimental. Maybe it was because he would soon see his father or because his plan was actually on track and working. But it was stronger than him. He had always believed in people and he surprised himself finding good even in the most unlikely of places. Seeing the best in others was kind of his superpower… it could be a weakness too, but Barry was an eternal optimist. And the proof was in front of his eyes, really. Even in a supermax, there was hope. He saw it in the smiles, some laughs, a friendly tap in the back here, a game of chess there… It was everywhere and even the smallest glimpse of it was like lightning in the dark for Barry.

His eyes wandered toward the table next to his, where Snart and Rory were silently eating their meal. Something featherlike fluttered around in Barry's chest. Hope.

Hope could be the deadliest of weapon…

 

Len had watched Barry like a hawk since he had been back from the infirmary. He was now eating his supper with Ramon and Stein, a band aid covering the cut on his bruised cheek. The skin along his jaw and under his left eye had become a mix of blue and purple. Len couldn't help but glare at Mick at this displeasing sight. His friend had explained to him what had happened and he had nearly punched Mick as a result. But he had stopped himself. Len knew Mick and his hotheaded temper. He never was the one to back down from a fight and had actually always had the disturbing habit of destroying pretty things just for the sake of it. And Barry Allen could definitely be considered as a pretty thing in his book. So, Len had calmed down, but had made him promised he would stop punching people. He didn't want Mick to end up in the S.H.U. Learning about the kid strange behavior had only increased Len's curiosity. He was now trying to find the right time to corner Barry and talk to him. Len needed to solve the irresistible mystery the kid presented… now. It was taking far too much space in his head.

The perfect opportunity presented itself this very evening. It was shower time and for many reasons, Len always was one of the last inmates to enter the washroom. He enjoyed having the place as empty as possible, giving him a fleeting feeling of peace. Most of the other convicts showered in the morning or late afternoon, just before diner, but Len had always enjoyed going to bed fresh and clean. When he stepped into the washroom this evening, only 20 minutes before the last roll call and the closing of the cell doors, he knew he wasn't alone. But what he heard was so unusual, so alien in a place like Iron Heights that Len stopped, dumbstruck.

Singing.

Someone, with a very good voice moreover, was singing under the shower, his soft tenor echoing trough the tiled room. He recognized the song and couldn't help but snort. Was someone really singing  _Let It Go_  in a prison washroom? Who could that be? Curious, Len tiptoed across the changing area and furtively glanced inside the showroom.

He should have guessed, really.

Barry Allen, alone in the large tilted space, his eyes closed and face under the stream of warm water, was still singing, unaware of Len's presence.  _Fuck…_  the kid was really insane to put himself in such a vulnerable position. Anyone could walk in on him, alone in the showers, his eyes closed. If a guy like Thawn had walked in… Len rather not think about such a horrid possibility. He only raged against the kid’ stupid innocence for a second anyway, because he quickly found himself far more focused on what was actually happening in front of his  _very_ hungry eyes.

A low wall was standing between Barry and Len, only allowing him to see the kid's upper body, but it was enough for his mind to short-circuit. He was breathtaking. The water cascading on his tattooed chest created rivulets that highlight his lean muscles. Len would have sold his soul to be able to lick every drop off of his lanky body. And his voice, pure and masculine, reaching high and deep notes without a fault... And his face, peaceful, smiling, beautiful…

Len had to physically stop himself from jumping forward to just claim the kid and make him  _his_. Tearing his eyes away from the sinful picture of Barry Allen singing in the shower, he stepped back into the changing room and fell against the wall. He noticed that the crotch of his pants was taut, showing the undeniable effect the kid had on him.  _God, he had to get a grip_. He wasn't a teenager anymore and he would crush this crazy infatuation he was developing for Barry Allen like an insect. He would take this opportunity to talk to the kid.  _Just talk._  Because he needed to know what he was planning with his sister.  _Just that._  He really didn't need to know what the rest of Barry's body looked like or to examine all of his tattoos from close up… or maybe with the tip of his tongue…

_No! Stop it, stupid brain!_

Len was nearly about to slap himself when all of the sudden, the kid came out of the shower room. In his mental breakdown, he hadn't heard him turn the water off. Barry yelped and jumped backward when he saw him, one of his hands on his heart.

They stared at each other for a second, like two dear caught in headlights before the kid released a sigh of relief. "Shit, sorry, you've scared the crap out of me. I thought I was alone", Barry finally said, his chest still heaving a little.

Snapping out of his wicked thoughts, Len was really thankful that Barry had decided put some clothes on before getting out of the shower. "I can see that", he mumbled. But before the kid could say anything, Len added: "What are you doing here all alone? You know that the last roll call is in 15 minutes, right?"

Barry lifted an unimpressed eyebrow. "I could ask you the same question."

Len smirked. "Fair enough".

They stayed silent for a few seconds, looking everywhere but at each other. That was awkward…

"I like showering in the evening. It's like all the worries and misfortunes of my days get washed away and disappear in the drain", suddenly said Barry.

When Len lifted his eyes to meet his, surprised, the kid blushed.

"I know it's probably silly…" he tried to explain, but Len interrupted his mumbles: "No. Not at all. I'm the same, actually".

Another silence fell between them, but it wasn't awkward this time, more like… amicable.

"I better get going and leave you to it then", decided Barry, starting to walk away from him with a bashful smile.

Len watched him go, his eyes especially focused on the way his ass moved in those pants. Smirking, he made a decision just before Barry crossed the threshold.

"We still need to talk", he called.

The kid turned his head to look at him, deeply serious. "I know."

But not here, not now. It was the perfect opportunity, but without understanding why, Len didn't want to talk about all that was unsaid between them anymore. Because he knew that when they would, everything would change and right now, he liked where they were. Still strangers, but not really. Undeniably attracted, but sill cautious. They were on uneven ground and he should hate it but sometimes, a little ambiguity wasn't so bad… It was enough for tonight.

"Tomorrow, after breakfast, meet me in the library. We will talk then".

It sounded like a date…

Len smiled when Barry blushed again. Then, the kid nodded. "Goodnight Len."

 _Len…_  Nobody had called him this in years. Lisa called him _Lenny_ and the others just preferred _Snart_ or _Cold_. But he loved it when the kid said his name like this. It made him shiver.

"Goodnight Scarlet."

And Barry disappeared with a little grin.

 _God_ , thought Len once he finally made it to the shower (and if he used the same one as the kid, it was just an unfortunate coincidence).  _This kid is going to be the death of him…_

 

Barry didn't tell Cisco about his upcoming rendezvous with Snart. So many things depended on their talk, it was making him ill with anxiety just thinking about it. He had a plan in case Leonard refused to join him, but now that he had met the man, Barry could at least admit to himself that he genuinely wanted Snart to join the break out. He wanted to spend time with him, to learn to really know him and not just through Lisa's eyes. He already had a little crush on the guy. It was useless to deny it, even if it was maybe the stupidest thing he could have done. But it was stronger than him. They were like magnets. The pull was irresistible and instinctive. Barry had always fallen for the wrong person and when he fell, he fell hard and fast. It was the thing about him. Speed defined him and it had always embodied every aspect of his life. And right now, while Cisco was sleeping soundly, Barry would have given everything to be able to bend time to his will. It was going too slow and fast at the same time. Slow, because he couldn't sleep and had far too much things going on in his head. Fast, because he had barely closed his eyes when the C.O rang the morning bell.

Breakfast time. And he couldn't be late. He was about to have one of the most important conversation of his life. Unable to eat anything substantial, Barry drank his coffee (or what the prison pretended was coffee, but he suspected it was just real dishwater) and stood up to make his way to the library. He didn't lie to Cisco and Stein when they asked where he was going. He just neglected to mention who he would be joining there.

"Bring me back one of Jules Verne's novels", asked Cisco while Barry was walking away. "But not  _200 000 leagues under the sea_ , I've already read it ten times."

Shaking his head with a smile on his face, not surprised by his friend choice in literature, Barry left the cafeteria. He crossed path with Zoom and two other COs he didn't know yet. They all watched him with distrusting eyes, surely because of whom his father was and what he was accused of. It was unusual for him to be considered as such. All his life, he had always been the good kid, the good friend, someone harmless and unexciting. Loyal, but plain. Cute, but awkward. So much had changed in the last six months… But he felt more like himself now, under those watchful eyes, than during all those years he had gone unnoticed. At least, they were seeing  _him_  now, not just a shadow.

When he entered the library, Barry was a little disappointed, but it was to be expected. When he had heard the word  _library_ , he had pictured a kind of antechamber with rows and rows of books. But it looked like any other room in Iron Heights: gray and dull. It consisted on several shelves were a few books were classified by genre than alphabetical order. An officer glanced his way behind a caged reception desk.

"You're new here. I'll need your name and cell number to keep track of the books you'll borrow. You can only take two at a time for no more than one week. Capisce?" Said the C.O with a stony face. He wasn't very friendly and seemed to be bored to death behind his desk. But Barry did what he said and put his name on the ledger he kept in front of him.

"Come back when you're done and don't forget to write the name of the books before leaving", finished the guard before his eyes went back to a TV on his desk, where a baseball match was on.

Barry understood why Snart had chosen this place to meet. It was empty, dark and hidden behind the shelves, they would be able to talk privately. The guard seemed to be so engrossed by the TV he wouldn't pay them any mind. While waiting for him, Barry wandered among the bookshelves. He smiled when he picked up  _Journey To the Center of the Earth_. It would be perfect for Cisco. It was an old edition and the pages were worn and yellowish, but it would do. He was trying to find something for himself when he heard a whisper behind his back:

"Hello, Scarlet."

Startled, Barry turned toward Snart with a frown.

"Would you, please, stop doing that?" It was the second time he was taking him by surprise.

The man tried to hide his amusement, but failed. Mischief sparkling in his blue eyes, he apologized, but Barry knew he was having far too much fun at his expense to really mean it. It would be childish to stick his tongue at Snart, so he didn't, but it was very tempting.

Finally, Leonard's face became serious and, leaning against the shelf in front of Barry, he started in a hushed tone: "So, here we are. I've a lot of questions to ask you, Scarlet."

Mimicking his posture, Barry sneaked a peak at the guard (who was still glued to the TV and wouldn't hear them because of its blasting volume) before answering: "And I have answers, but I don’t know if they will be as interesting as you think."

And here he was again, teasing and flirting. Why did he always feel the need to do that with Snart? And of course, the man would flirt back…

"I'll be the judge of that", he said with what Barry was starting to call his  _dropdeadgorgeous_ smirk.

_Focus, Allen. Focus._

"Fine! Shoot, what do you want to know?" He said, feeling quite exhilarated.

Indeed, here they were at last…

Snart didn't answer right away, staring at him with his too intense eyes for a few seconds, as if to read his mind. Then, he started: "How did you meet my sister?"

"You know that I was a CSI, so tracking Lisa down wasn't very hard. I've found out she was staying in one of your old warehouse and just… barged in", started Barry.

Snart lifted a sarcastic eyebrow. "Barged in? She must have loved it."

"Yes", laughed Barry. "So much that she threatened me with her golden gun. Who has a gun made of gold, really?"

The other man smiled. "Lisa has always loved shinny things." It was sweet seeing how his face could suddenly softened when he was talking about his sister.

"Anyway, she told me she would shoot me in the nuts if I didn't have a very good reason to be there", continued Barry.

"And I guess you did have one, given the fact that you're still standing. Unless…" Snart eyes swiftly skimmed down toward his crotch and, once again, Barry blushed.

"My nuts are still perfectly intact, thank you very much", he retorted, scandalized.

Leonard hid a smirk behind one of his hands and Barry rolled his eyes. He could be such an easy target sometimes… But enough blabbering, time to get to the point.

"She has agreed to help me with a little project and I could need your assistance as well. I guess she hasn't told you anything yet?"

"No, and that's what picked my curiosity the most. She usually tells me everything so, it must be quite important if she managed to keep quiet for so long. She has only revealed that you did make her an offer she couldn't refuse. But the question remains… what offer?" Snart was getting impatient, he could tell by the tapping of his foot on the ground.

"You know that my father is scheduled to be executed in eleven weeks, right?"

Snart nodded, looking at him with a closed, careful face. It was time to spill the bean.

"I've ask Lisa to help me make sure that doesn't happen. That's why I'm here. I robbed that bank, knowing I would get caught and did everything in my power to end up in Iron Heights with my dad. Now that I'm here, I need your help to save him", explained Barry.

Snart was still watching him with a cold look, revealing none of his thoughts or feelings about what Barry had just said. Taking his stoned-face expression for a sign he could go on, he added: "You've got a certain… influence around here and I'll need you and your connections to make sure everything goes according to plan."

"And why did Lisa agree to help you? What's in it for us?" Asked Snart, a little frown of suspicion appearing on his face.

"Because we all want same things", answered Barry with a deep determination. His heart was beating like a drum and his palms were sweating.

"And what is that?" Enquired Leonard, his arms suddenly crossed on his chest and his gaze deepening.

"Getting out of here, of course. We're breaking out", finally said Barry.

The cat was out of the bag, he couldn't go back. This dad's future was now between Snart's hands.

 

Len stayed dumbstruck for only a few seconds but it seemed like an eternity. He had been expecting everything… _everything_  but this. When he heard Barry pronounce the word "break out", his brain went haywire. He must have heard him wrong because there was simply no way the kid and his sister were crazy enough to consider such a thing. Because Len was clever and if there was one thing he was good at, it was planning. So, obviously, when he had ended up in prison, the first thing he had tried to do was to break out. Len had therefor spent weeks analyzing, scheming and plotting to find a way out of Iron Heights. But it was impossible. He had learnt the changing of the guards by heart, knew the everyday life of the prison like the back of his hands and; thanks to his job with the P.I, he was pretty familiar with the layouts. And despite all his ingenuity and best efforts, he had had to come to the depressing conclusion that there was no breaking out of Iron Heights. They were too many unpredictable variables and unknown factors.

Once, a guy had tried to get out… and it had resulted in the A-Wing riot where several convicts had been killed (including the guy in question) and a few guards as well. Thinking they could break out of here was crazy. Len understood Barry's motivations, he really did. Because if Lisa had been sentence to death, he would have tried everything to save her… even a suicide mission like this one. But it was desperate and reckless. Barry would get himself killed and all the people he would drag down with him would suffer dire consequences.

It was crazy, dangerous, suicidal… It was impossible.

When Len came out of his haze, he realized that he was angry. Very angry. He didn't know where this sudden fury was coming from, if it was because of the kid apparent death wish or the involvement of his sister in all of this, but he was raging. He would not be apart of this folly and he would do everything in his power to convince the kid to give it up. He was too young, too innocent to waste his life away, even in the name of his father. He would not let the kid sacrifice himself for a delusion.

"Break out? That's your great mystery?" Len finally said with a crisp tone.

Barry must have noticed his sudden change of demeanor because he straightened up, his hopeful face crumbling to pieces. It broke Len's heart but he would not yield. He would save the kid from his own folly, even if he had to hurt him in the process.

But Len should have guessed that the kid would not back down so easily…

Instead, Barry frowned, his pretty mouth now set with a deep scowl. Then, he took a step toward Len and tried to explain: "I've everything figured out. We can do it. You, my father, me… and a few others."

Because he would include even more people in this mess?  _Hell no!_

Coming closer to Barry as well, Len managed to hide his anger when he said: "So this is what it's all about? You want to save your father? It's noble kid, but impossible. Nobody has ever successfully got out of Iron Heights."

"But I can do it. I've got the plans and…" Barry's face was so full of delusional hope.

But Len had to burst his bubble and make him understand how crazy it was. "Your plan won't work, Scarlet! It will NEVER work because you're counting on people to achieve your goal. People you don't know, people you don't trust. And you can't really trust people; they will always let you down. You can only count on yourself. I won't put my neck and especially not my sisters' on the line for your little fantasy." He was a little breathless after his outburst.

The kid had a pleading look now, his big, green eyes staring at him with such expectation... Len felt a little weak in the knee for a second. Barry really had figured out the whole  _puppy look_  business and it was deadly effective. He nearly gave up… nearly.  _God, the kid was good._

 _"_ You have to trust me…", the kid soughed then, making something foreign flutter inside Len's chest.

 _He had to be stronger than that for Christsake!_  He understood that the only way to make Barry back down would be to hurt him. And nothing hurts more than the plain, harsh truth. He wasn't uncaring and contrary to common belief, his heart wasn't made of ice, but the kid was too trusting for his own good. It would be his downfall… He had to teach him a lesson. How could this kid put his life and the life of his father on the shoulder of _convicts_? People he didn't even know?

Putting his Captain Cold persona on, Len knew what he had to do now. Sniggering at the kid naivety, Len snorted: "That's the problem. I don't know you kid, I don't trust you."

"Lisa does", retorted Barry with a stubborn tilt of his chin.

 _Lisa…_  When he would see her again next week, he would definitely give her a piece of his mind. Since when did she plan impossible break out with very cute ex-CSIs? She was cleverer than that! What kind of superpower did the kid possess to make her do something so stupid? His sister involvement in this was really pissing him off!

Taking the remaining step that separated him from Barry, Len looked him down (which was not easy because they were the same height) and whispered right to his face: "Lisa is like you sometimes. Despite everything, she wants to trust people; she wants to believe the world is a better place than it actually is. But you two are wrong. The world is a shithole where you can't trust anybody but yourself. What she… what the both of you are trying to do is suicidal and I won't help you."

They were standing so close that, even in the semi darkness, Len could see the gold in Barry's eyes melt into something darker. He was getting pissed as well.  _Good._

"You won't even listen to me!" The kid huffed with frustration. "I have a plan and I know we can do this. I… "

"No", Len stopped him with a glare. "I don't want to hear anything more. You're crazy and I won't be a part of your suicide mission."

He decided that the conversation was over and started to move away from Barry. But he had barely reached the end of the bookshelf that the kid said the worst thing he could possibly have said: "I have a way to bring your father down, if you help me."

It was like Len had been punched in the face. What did his douchbag of a father have to do with all of this? Was Barry _that_ desperate he would reduce himself to consort with people as evil as his father?

Len was fuming now. Who did this kid think he was to worm himself into his personal life like this? First his sister and now his father? He had to put a stop to this. Right now!

Coming back toward Barry, who must have noticed his murdering glare, because the kid stepped back until he had him cornered against the wall, Len sough with his coldest voice yet: "My father? Listen, Scarlet, stop putting your nose where it doesn’t belong. You stay away from him!"

Barry frowned, pleading no more. Just… disenchanted. They looked at each other with an intensity that could have stopped the course of time. It certainly seemed like it. Len didn't know what the kid was seeing in his eyes. Probably a mix of cold anger, slight concern, infuriating disbelief and unintendedly, a little bit of lust. But it was stronger than him. Barry was so…  _insufferably cute_  right now. His heaving chest brushing his own, his warm breathe caressing his face, his lovely mouth slightly open and his eyes…  _Oh My God_ , his eyes, burning with anger and hopelessness. Len wished nothing more than to make the dying gold in his pupils burn brighter. But he couldn't.

The kid must have felt that Len was wavering, because he tried: "Lisa will be so disappointed... I never took you for a coward."

Len closed his eyes for a second, regaining his composure, before taking a single step back. "I'm not a coward, I'm careful. Always. That's how I've always survived', he said in a voice far more unyielding than what was boiling inside of him. "Lisa seems to have forgotten that. Maybe she'll be disappointed but she'll be alive and safe. That's all I've always wanted for her."

Out of sheer desperation, Barry implored: "My dad is innocent. I will save him, with or without you, but it would be easier with your help. Please, Len."

Something snapped inside of him when the kid said his name. He could understand but… Didn't he realize that he was only trying to protect him? To save him from himself? If cold anger was the only way Barry would understand, then Len would do it. He would push the kid away, for good.

"Don't call me that. I said NO! For the last time, I won't help you. Maybe I've been fooled by your boyish face before but now I know you're bad news, kid. We are not friends, we are not partners and I WON'T help you. Ever. You better stay away from me from now on. If you want to get yourself killed, so be it, but leave me and my sister out of it."

Len knew he had stroked a cord when Barry flinched back, as if he had physically punched him. He was looking at him as if he was seeing him for the first time and that what he discovered was making him sick.

"You really are cold…" spat Barry, his eyes watering despite himself.

Len only had to give him a last little nudge now…

"Sorry to burst your little fantasy, but I AM Captain Cold and you, kid, are nothing but jailbait. I've wasted enough of my time with you. I know your little  _mystery_  now and find it unworthy of my attention. So, run along, kid, and don't bother me again, because next time, I won't be so nice."

His big green eyes; so pure, so beautiful, hardened and Len knew he had lost him. Maybe forever. But it had been for the better. Now that he had made clear he wouldn't help him, the kid would probably give up his crazy mission… right?

Barry let out a single tear, his face set in a mask of utter disappointment. Without looking at Len, the kid left in a hurried pace, leaving a trail of harsh desperation behind him.

Len had done the right thing, he was sure of it. But, why didn't he feel more content? Why did he have the awful sensation that something sour and bitter was eating at his insides? It was probably his hasty breakfast. It had nothing to do with Barry and the way he had looked at him. But the more Len thought about the lone tear he had seen escaping the kid beautiful green eyes, the more uneasy he felt.

He had done the right thing. Trying to convince himself (and his tightening chest) that everything would turn out for the better, Len left the library. When he passed the guard, he noticed that Barry had dropped his book on the counter without checking it out.

 _Journey To the Center of the Earth…_  Without knowing why, Len took the book.

Leaving the building with a sigh, Len put his coldhearted mask back on and went out to the courtyard to find Mick. Barry was nowhere to be seen, despite the fact that Stein and Ramon were both here. But Len convince himself not to read too much into this. The kid would get over it. He would.

He hoped he would…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the way this chapter ends but I like when sparks flies in a relationship. Hope you liked this chapter.
> 
> I won't be at home for more than a month (til the end of July) so I won't be able to post the next chapter before August. Sorry to keep you waiting but I'll be back with more ColdFlash ^^ Promise !
> 
> Happy Holidays everyone !
> 
> LilasDixon


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys, sorry for this unforgivable delay, but I'm back!
> 
> I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as possible.
> 
> Happy reading!

**Chapter 6**

                Saying that Barry was disappointed was a euphemism. He was more accurately crushed. And he didn’t understand why. Because, as he repeated to himself while going back to his cell, he had a back up plan. Snart was an important part of his strategy, but he was not essential. He still had Lisa’s connections to help him… So, he could do it without him, even if it would be far more difficult and dangerous. He didn’t know what he had been expecting really. Len… _no!_ Captain Cold was a scumbag. A criminal. All the things Lisa had said about him were just beautiful lies uttered by a too blind and loving sister. He should have known better…

But even knowing that, Barry had thought he could get through to him. Because of this strange bond that seemed to link Cold and him since the first time they had laid eyes on one another. He said to his own weak, bleeding heart, that he didn’t even know the man. He was a complete stranger. But it had felt like so much more… Barry admitted that he had had a crush on him and being rejected and treated as such by someone you possibly liked _a little too much_ hurt. _A lot!_

But it was over now. Snart had made perfectly clear that he didn’t want anything to do with him anymore.

 _I've wasted enough of my time with you_ , he had said. _I know your little mystery now and find it unworthy of my attention._ Snart had seemed so… cold, so disdainful.

What an asshole! Barry hated him! He wouldn’t waste anymore of his precious time with him either. It was over before anything had even begun. Maybe it was for the better. It was bad to mix business with pleasure anyway…

Wiping the last traces of tears off his face with a furious hand, Barry decided to get to work as soon as possible. Without Cold (yes, _Cold_ , he refused to even think about him by another name anymore) the timetable of the break out had changed. He still had enough time but he had to start digging in his cell as soon as possible. Given that all the convicts were in the courtyard on this sunny day, Barry would make the most of his alone time in the cell block. Cisco had already managed to get him the tools he needed.

The few C.Os Barry passed on his way to his cell barely acknowledge him and he stepped into his “room” inconspicuously. Kneeling next to the toilets in the corner of the cell, hidden from view thanks to the bunk bed, he looked at his watch.

10 o’clock. He still had about thirty minutes before the convicts were scheduled to come back.

Frowning with deep focus, Barry started to work, avoiding thinking about the painful iron fist that seemed to squeeze his heart.

The rest of the day was uneventful and he managed to make great progress on the wall. In a day or two, he would be able to leave his cell whenever he wanted. When Cisco returned from the courtyard, Barry briefly explained to him his disastrous encounter with Cold. Detailing their meeting still would have been too painful. But it was enough to unleash his friend wrath. Snart must have felt his ear burn with all the _colorful_ names Cisco called him. It should have made him feel better to badmouth the man with his friend, but Barry still felt miserable. On the bright side, Cold seemed to have decided to avoid him like the plague. He barely saw him at dinner; where he chose to sit as far from Barry as possible, and he wasn’t in the courtyard in the afternoon, too busy with P.I. Barry was glad he didn’t have to see his stupidly handsome face. The less he thought about him, the better.

One the other hand, his Saturday turned out to be far more surprising than he would have thought. The visiting hours had barely begun when Officer Hall came to fetch him in his cell.

“Allen, you’ve got a visitor”, he said, asking for his barred door to be opened.

Cisco and he were both sitting on Barry’s bed, playing card, and they exchanged a surprised look. Who could be visiting him? He hoped it wasn’t Joe, or worst, Iris. She was scheduled to return from London next week so, he was pretty sure it wasn’t her. But he could never know with his sister/best friend. She was pretty unpredictable sometimes.

“Do you know who it is?” Asked Barry to the C.O while he was accompanying him to the visitor room.

“A pretty girl”, answered the man with a playful smile.

Barry suddenly felt nauseous. Only two pretty girls were susceptible to visit him: Iris or Lisa, and he really didn’t want to deal with any of them. It was scarier to face these women than to be punched by Mick Rory. A thousand times scarier.

If it was Lisa, it would be the final straw. He wouldn’t be able to handle her questions and disappointment only a day after facing Cold. Two days before the bank robbery, he had gone to see her one last time. She had promised to visit him once he would have talked to her brother. Did she already know how badly he had reacted to his proposal? Had Snart already called her to tell her how crazy and suicidal she was working with a dumb and delusional ex-CSI?

 _Ouch…_ even in his mind he sound wounded. He definitely wasn’t over their fight.

If it was Iris… He rather not think about it.

Stopping in front of the visitor area gate, Barry took a deep breath. He could do it.

“Are you alright, kid?” Asked Carter Hall with genuine concern.

Barry must really look like shit if he was asking him that…

“I’m fine.” And then, he went through the door, ready to face his fate.

 

                Len wasn’t sulking. _He was not!_ He was just… thinking, hard. He had always liked Saturdays. Even the C.Os were cheerier once the weekend began and it was additionally a very sunny Saturday. He was in the courtyard, enjoying the calm weather, surrounded by his most trusted men. So everything was just peachy and he had no rational reason to sulk.

So, no, he definitely wasn’t sulking.

Okay, maybe just a little. But the day before had been awful to say the least. So he had the right to mope. He just couldn’t help but going back to his fight with Barry Allen. He shouldn’t feel guilty for what he had said to the kid. It was to protect him. But the vision of his sad green eyes stayed stuck on his mind. He couldn’t escape it and it followed him even in his dreams.

In two words: it sucked. He just couldn’t get this stupid kid out of his head. And Len had tried. He had avoided him on Friday, forcing Mick to swap their usual table for a far less pleasant one near the back of the cafeteria. He hadn’t even glanced at Barry since their… disagreement. It had been hard, because his gaze seemed to be oddly attracted to the kid. Len was always hyperaware when Barry was close, all of this senses heightened, like if his whole body was attuned to his. But he had managed.

The dreams he had been plagued with had been some kind of punishment for ignoring him, he was sure of it. Because Barry Allen had been everywhere. Len usually loved his brilliant brain, but right now, he would have given anything to just switch an off button in his mind. He needed a break from his own thoughts.

What was happening to him was illogical. He wasn’t the kind of man to easily feel guilty or to fall for the first pretty face that came along. Saying he had emotional attachment issues was an understatement. But he had grown up like this and it was what had kept him alive. He wasn’t heartless, hut he didn’t… care that easily, or that quickly. Not to the point of making him this miserable, anyway.

What was happening to him? Maybe he was coming down with something.

“Still sulking, Snart?” Said Mick with a knowing smile.

Len grinded his teeth “For the thousands times, I am NOT sulking. I think I may be getting ill or something.”

“Hope not”, grunted Mick. “You’re insufferable when you’re sick”

Len glowered at him, but his friend just lifted an unimpressed eyebrow. He must be getting sick if he was loosing his icy glare. It was definitely the best (and only) explanation for his current turmoil.

“It would be the perfect opportunity for me to keep tabs on your lovely doctor”, teased Len. _Yep, the boomerang effect is a bitch, Mick._

His friend blushed a little and grumbled, which was his default setting when someone mentioned Caitlin Snow to him.

“You know that she has the hots for you, right Heatwave?” He added with a little smile.

“Your puns are getting worst with age, Cold”, retorted Mick.

“Who is sulking now?” Replied Len.

His friend settled for just shaking his head in derision. Len was about to keep on teasing Mick, this proving to be very efficient to push his unwelcomed thoughts back, when Mark Mardon suddenly said: “Look who decided to grant us with his divine presence.”

Turning his attention to the spot his Rogue was pointing, Len frowned. That was unexpected.

Oliver Queen, the VIP convict of all VIPs was apparently out of solitary. They hadn’t seen him in ages, the man going from the S.H.U to the psych ward for the last six months. Len couldn’t really blame the guy. He had had a pretty rough life himself, but it was nothing compared to the hell Oliver Queen must have lived. A few years back, when he still had been the golden son of the billionaire Robert Queen, he and his father had been lost at sea. They had been presumed dead, only for Oliver to be discovered alone and distraught on a deserted island five year later. The man had spent all this time alone, fighting day and night to survive. His return to civilian life hadn’t gone well and the guy had kind of lost his mind one day, acting as a vigilante and had killed a bunch of people. His time alone on the island had changed him and he had developed some sort of schizophrenia. One second he was Oliver Queen, a pretty decent guy and the next he turned into some kind of avenging killer. He was seeing himself as a superhero. He had been arrested and despite his family’s fortune, had been sentence to a lifetime in prison. Iron Heights was the only place that could keep a man like him, because when he was having an episode… it wasn’t pretty.

Len knew Oliver Queen because he had been his cell neighbor when he had arrived in Iron Heights. He had assisted him once during a fight with the Santinis. And he especially had been the one to stop him when the man had blown a fuse and nearly killed a guard. The security procedures around him had been impressive after that. So, if he was back in Gen Pop, it could only mean one thing. Oliver Queen was cured.

It gave him a mischievous idea…

Oliver Queen was a force of nature and most of all, he could be really scary. He also had an unyielding sense of justice. He had only killed people he considered as bad. And who was more evil than a serial killer that planned to shank an innocent ex-CSI?

Because despite his disagreement with Barry, Len would sill do everything in his power to prevent Thawn from ambushing him in the shower. He wasn’t _that_ cold after all…

A little smirk on his face, Len got up from the bleacher and made his way toward Queen. The man was sitting alone at a chess table, far away from everyone, all the convicts eyeing him and whispering to each other. Len rolled his eyes. Sometimes, Iron Heights was like a dark and perverted high school, with gossips and cliques and scheming… Oliver looked up when he noticed him but his face remained emotionless.

“Snart”

“Queen”

They nodded before Len sat across from Oliver and feigned to start a game of chess. Len and Queen had never been friends… far from it, actually. In the billionaire’s book, he was Captain Cold, a worthless criminal and a killer. He hadn’t been the highest name on his “to kill” list, but he had definitely earned a place on it. But after their little alliance against a riot attempt from the Santinis, they had tolerated each other. At least until Queen had blown a fuse and tired to kill the entire cell block… Len knew they could work together for a common goal. And he could use Oliver brute force and reputation to successfully scare Thawn away from Barry for good.

“I have a proposition for you”, started Len, moving his white pond on the chessboard.

“Not interested”, answered Queen. But he still took his black knight to indulge him.

“Not even if I tell you you would be protecting an innocent and doe eyed ex-CSI from the wrath of Eobard Thawn?” Said Len in a casual voice, pretending to be engrossed in the game.

Oliver stared at him with a frown. “What’s in it for you? I didn’t take you for the vigilante type.”

“I’m no vigilante Oliver, I leave the heroics to you. But the kid and I have some… common acquaintances and it would be a shame if he ended up dead on his first week here just because he was brave enough to defend himself against Thawn’ sexual propositions”

Len knew he had succeeded when Queen’s eyes darkened and his jaw tightened. He stayed silent for a few seconds, visibly torn between his craving to do good and the fact that he had to work with a criminal to achieve his goal.

Finally, Oliver moved his knight and asked: “What do you have in mind?”

Len smirked. The game was on.

 

                When Barry entered the nearly empty visitor room, his eyes landed immediately on a beautiful woman with long brown hair, kind black eyes and a smooth dark skin.

_Iris…_

She was standing next to a table, her face revealing nothing. Barry approached cautiously, not knowing what to expect. She could hug him as well as punch him in the face. His heart beating like a drum, he stopped just before her and tried to smile, but he was sure it looked more like a grimace than anything else.

“Hi?” Why did his greeting sounded like a question?

She stared at him for a few seconds, her eyes lingering on the cuts and bruises on his face, before she finally took a step forward and hugged the life out of him. Not realizing how starved for her gentle touch he had been, Barry lost himself in her embrace. Nuzzling her neck, he inhaled her familiar perfume before stepping back. Her eyes were damp as she took his hand and sat at the table. Barry joined her, finally able to breath normally.

“Hello Barr”, she said with a watery smile.

“What are you doing here, Iris? You were supposed to be in Europe for another week.” Asked Barry.

He hoped she hadn’t put her article, her job in jeopardy just to fly home and see him. There was no rush really; it wasn’t like he was going anywhere. But he realized how stupid it sounded, even in his own mind. Of course Iris would drop everything for him, just as he would do the same for her. She was his best friend, his sister, his rock. _God, how much he had missed her!_

“Do you really think I would just go on wandering across London when I learned that my _stupid_ brother was in prison?” She answered with a glare.

“Joe told you, didn’t he? I’ve asked him not to. I didn’t want to bother you…” Stared Barry, annoyed at his foster dad.

“Bother me?” Iris interjected. “Bartholomew Henry Allen, you robbed a bank, got yourself arrested and thrown in Iron Heights. If I had come back next week without Dad telling me anything, I think I would have developed psychic powers just to be able to both kill you at the same time.”

Barry grinded his teeth. Iris was angry, her dark eyes rooting him to the spot. He understood her reaction, but it wasn’t making her less scary.

“I knew before leaving for London that you were planning to do something stupid, but I never would have thought how stupid…” She had to stop herself before she started to really yell. Stroking his hand with her thumb, Iris went on with a softer voice: “Barry. I know okay, I understand why you did all this, but do you realize how dangerous it is?”

“I have it all figured out, Iris. You just have to be a little patient and to trust me”, whispered Barry, knowing Officer Hall was close by and could probably hear everything they were saying. Leaning forward on the table, he added: “I’m going to save him, Iris.”

Her eyes soften immediately and she stared at him with a pleading look. “You don’t have to do this, Barr. I may have found a way to exonerate your dad, legally.”

Barry straightened up, dumbstruck. What was she talking about? He had tried everything legally possible to save his father… it was impossible.

“I didn’t only go to London for my article. There, I met a man, Julian Albert, who specialized in strange unclear cases like your mother’s. He’s some kind of meta-scientist or something, but he’s very respected and good in his field. He has agreed to study your father’s case and… he’s optimist. There is something in this case that doesn’t sound right and he’s working on it.”

Barry couldn’t believe it. If it was true, if Iris had really found a way to exonerate his father, then, it would be a miracle. But could this Julian guy really gather enough evidence to have his dad’s case revisited in just three months? He wanted to believe it, but it was such a slight chance…

No, his plot to break out his father was far more achievable. At best, Iris solution could be another backup plan. But it was safer carrying on with what he was doing than to drop everything and end up losing his dad because of some bureaucracy crap. And having his dad cleared for his mother murder wouldn’t erase the fact that he was also accused of killing a guard.

It was great news, but Barry would still break him out. It was the most effective way to make sure his dad would be saved.

“And what does Eddy think about all this?” Asked Barry, raising an unimpressed eyebrow.

Eddy was Iris’ fiancé and Joe’s partner at the CCPD. He was very protective of Iris and would probably hate the fact that she was playing detective behind his back.

“He doesn’t know anything yet, but I’ll talk to him. I thought you would be… I don’t know… happier?” Answered Iris, visibly disappointed by Barry’s lack of reaction.

“I’m happy, it’s an amazing news and if it works out, I’ll never be able to repay you but… Iris, it’s till a big _if_. What I’m doing here is dangerous, yes, but I’m sure I can succeed”, he explained.

Iris sat back; dropping the hand she was holding and looked at him with incredulity. 

“Look at your face Barry. This place is not dangerous, it’s deadly. You’ll get yourself killed”, she emphasized, pointing at his bruised jaw.

She sounded like Len… _no!_ Cold. He was fed up with people thinking he was a defenseless puppy. He could take care of himself, thank you very much!

“You have to trust me, Iris, everything is under control”, promised Barry, softening his voice not to antagonize his best friend. Except for the fact that Snart had turned him down, or that he still hadn’t talk to Stein, or that he still didn’t know how to get to the infirmary and to lay the groundwork for the escape… But he would fin a way. He always found a way.

“So you ask me to trust you when you clearly don’t return the feeling enough to give me a chance to help you”, she retorted, vexed.

 _Ouch…_ “That’s not what I mean. Of course I trust you, Iris, more than anyone. But it’s not your father’s life in the balance, it’s mine’s. Trust me, if you were in my shoes, you wouldn’t leave anything to chance. What you’re doing for me is amazing and I love you for it but… please try to understand. I’m desperate. I don’t have room for error”, Barry pleaded, begging for her to accept his decision. He needed to know she had his back.

Iris stayed silent for a few seconds, watching him with deep focus, munching on her bottom lip. It was proof she was thinking hard. Finally, she sighed and leaned toward him again. A small smile on her face, she exhaled: “Fine. Try your way, but please Barr, _please_ be carful. Dad and I are worried sick about you.”

Barry felt his heart squeeze with guilt. He hated the fact that to save his father, he had to make his foster family suffer. But it was for the greater good. He just hoped one day, Joe would find it in him to forgive him…

“How’s Joe?” He dared ask, avoiding Iris piercing eyes.

“Not good. He barely sleeps and doesn’t understand why you’re keeping him at arms length. I had to physically stop him from coming with me today. But, Barr, you can’t go on like this. You have to reach out to him sooner rather than later”, replied Iris with a pained smile.

Barry was feeling even worst now. She was right, of course. It wasn’t fair to Joe to push him away like this. Now that he was in Iron Heights, there was nothing his foster dad could do to prevent him from saving his father. Maybe it was time to make peace…

“All right, you win. You can tell him to come visit me anytime he wants”, agreed Barry, feeling much lighter now that he knew he would see Joe soon.

Iris face brightened up like a Christmas tree at his words. He had never been able to deny her anything… “Perfect”, she gleamed. “But, I’ll maybe tell him to come sometime next week, because if he sees you like this, he would probably shoot everyone on site to get you out.”

Barry cringed, rubbing his bruised face with a careful hand. “Yes, it would be better.”

Iris laughed at his grimace and Barry couldn’t help but chuckle with her.

“So,” she whispered in a conspirator voice, leaning on her elbow to speak right to his face. “Any good looking crooks around here? I know you’ve always had a thing for bad boys.”

Barry hid his face in his hands and moaned in despair. Sometimes, he hated her as much as the loved her…

                Len spent the rest of his Saturday planning with Mick and Queen. So, when he stepped into the cafeteria that evening, he was in a much better mood. He could have asked Mardon to assist them, but the man inclination for free violence could be an obstacle in this case. He preferred to surround himself with people he trusted (Mick) and with deadly precision (Oliver). They had come up with a good plan, insuring that Eobard Thawn would never even dare glance at Barry Allen without his say-so. It would also remind the sick fucker that nobody screwed with Captain Cold. He had made it pretty clear on the kid’s first day in Iron Heights that he was under Len’s wing. It would teach Thawn a lesson.

Len couldn’t help but ask himself; as he took his seat conveniently to the table behind Thawn’s and his minions, if Barry could still be considered as “under his wing”. After their disagreement, he had obviously distanced himself from the kid. It served his plan, letting Thawn’s guard down and making him think Len couldn’t care less about Barry Allen. Back then, with anger bubbling in his veins, he had meant it when he had said he wanted nothing do to with the kid anymore. But now, a day after (was it only a day? It seemed like that their fight had happened a week ago), Len wasn’t so sure anymore. He still had the Jules Verne’s book in his cell. Maybe, despite his refusal to join his break out party, they could still…

 _No._ Better not think about what _could_ be. Better not to hope. Len hated hope. It had always let him down and it wasn’t a stupid kid that would change that. Hope was dangerous… Because, when Barry entered the cafeteria, all smiles and beauty spots, Len felt his heart skip a beat. Hope was deadly.

Len decided that he wasn’t so hungry anymore. Standing up to leave the table, his eyes accidently crossed path with Barry’s. The kid turned away swiftly, but it had been enough for Len to see the sparkle of joy die in the kid’s gaze. His bright smile disappeared from his face and he looked down to his tray, playing mournfully with his food. This depressing spectacle made Len’s insides turn cold. If the mere sight of him was provoking such a reaction in Barry, his irrational hope to one day redeem himself in the kid’s eyes was dead and buried before it was even born.

He wasn’t he only one to notice Barry’ sudden change of behavior. Cisco Ramon, his eyes burning with fury, watched his friend before glaring at Len.

 _Wow…_ The kid could be scary when he wanted to…

Len had to leave. Now.

But he barely made it to the hallway before someone called him. “Not so fast, Cold!”

Len turned around and faced a very angry Cisco Ramon; who wore a deep frown and had his hands on his hips. Lifting an unimpressed eyebrow at the kid, Len crossed his arms on his chest.

“What can I do for you, Cisco?” He asked in a mocking voice.

Pointing a blaming finger at him, Ramon shouted: “You really are an asshole, you know that?”

Len’s eyes widen at the kid bold outburst. He had balls… and was maybe a little crazy to antagonist him in the middle of a (thankfully empty) hallway, but at least, Len respected his nerve.

“Excuse me? Do you know who you’re talking to?” He asked in a very cold voice.

But his tone didn’t soothe Ramon in the slightest. To the contrary, the kid took a step toward him, his wrath even more obvious than before.

“I don’t give a damn about who you are”, he retorted, his dark eyes throwing daggers. “All I care about is Barry. Stop what you’re doing. Right now!”

“Your delusional, Ramon”, snigger Len, sounding indifferent. But on the inside, he felt guilt start to rise up his chest.

But Cisco didn’t back down. “Don’t play stupid with me. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Stop looking at him like if he is some kind of jewel you want to steal or an enthralling heist!”

 _Shit…_ Was he really _that_ obvious? Len must have worn his slightly humiliating surprise on his face because Ramon added: “Did you think you were subtle? I see the way you’re ogling him like an old perv when you think nobody is looking. It’s creepy and it’s not fair to him. You’ve turned him down and pushed him away. Fine, it was your decision, but don’t you dare continuing with this… smoldering shit you’re doing. It’s hurting him. You said you would stay away from him, than you just do that and leave him alone.”

Len needed to keep a straight face. He would not be scolded by a kid! He really had nerves talking to him like that! Maybe Cisco Ramon required a reminder of who he was dealing with. Taking a step toward him, Len looked him up with disdain and authority. “I don’t know who you think you are, _kid_. But I won’t tolerate your insolence any longer. Allen means nothing to me; he’s just a nice piece of ass I may have considered as a potential hook up. But I changed my mind when I realized he was badshit crazy. So, for now on, keep your bullshit to yourself or, trust me, you won’t like the outcome”, he threatened.

At first, Cisco looked taken aback and he slightly paled. But then, as if he had always suspected that Len had only just seen a piece of tail in Barry Allen, he sniggered: “Then stop giving him false hope, Cold. Barry may still want to believe there’s good in you, but I know guys like you. You’re bad news.”

On this note, Cisco Ramon turned on his heels and went back to the cafeteria. Len watched him go and stayed stunned for a few seconds. Then, he took a decision he knew he would have to work very hard to achieve, but would be essential if he wanted to keep his sanity intact. After Sunday, he was done with Barry Allen and all his drama. He didn’t owe the kid anything anyway…

When he entered his cell a few minutes later, Len was convinced he would be able to just write Barry off of his life in a heartbeat. But then, his eyes landed on the Jules Verne’s book and he sighed.

He was too old for this shit…


	8. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> I'm back with a new chapter! I hope you won't be disapointed as things start to get steamier between Len and Barry.
> 
> Happy reading and don't forget to tell me what you think! ^^

**Chapter 7**

Sunday morning, Barry was brought to Ray Palmer's office by a C.O he had never seen before. He was called Officer Savage and he felt immediately uneasy in his presence. He had long black hair slicked back from his bearded face and he had mean, clever dark eyes. The way he smiled at Barry when he left him with Kendra inside the warden's office made him cringe. The man exuded a very creepy vibe and the way he looked at the lovely secretary before leaving was beyond disturbing. It was like he wanted to eat her alive… Kendra lowered her gaze, tense, until Officer Vandal finally vanished.

Frowning, Barry took a step toward the secretary and asked in a hushed voice: "Are you okay?"

She looked up and smiled at him. "Yes, it's just… This man gives me the creeps", she answered.

He could totally relate. When Thawn had looked at him in the same way, Barry had felt his whole body shudder with disgust.

"Mister Palmer is waiting for you", she added, still smiling.

Barry thanked her before stepping into the warden's office. Ray was sitting at his desk, absorbed in paperwork and mumbling to himself when he entered. He finally noticed his presence. "Barry! Good morning."

"Good morning", he answered, fidgeting.

Barry was a little nervous. He had promised Ray he would study his fiancée's case. But what if he couldn't' help him? What if her murder really was a cold case? Will Ray revoke his right to see his father, then?

"Don't look so alarmed", smiled Ray. "I'm not going to bite you. Follow me."

The warden led him to a room next to his office and Barry's eyes widen in astonishment. When the man had told him it was some kind of a lab, he wasn't kidding. This place actually looked a little like his old workshop at the CCPD. It made him feel nostalgic for a few seconds. But then, Barry focused his attention on the back of the room, to a shelf full of chemical bottles. Most of them were harmless on their own, but combined with others; they could be very useful for the escape. Especially the copper sulfate and the phosphoric acid contained in some of them. Mixed together, they would be perfect to erode the pipe under the infirmary.

A big smile on his face, Barry stepped into the room. He had work to do.

Finally, after studying the file of Anna's murder, Barry found that the CSI assigned to the case had really done a poor job. There were evidences he neglected to examine that would have probably opened new leads for the detectives. Barry would need time to work his magic, it would maybe take a week or two, but he was sure he could find enough proofs to help Ray. With new evidences, the police would have to reopen the case.

As promised, when Barry left Ray's office; the man stuttering a thousand thanks, the C.O (Officer Hall this time), led him to the A-Wing. He was going to see his father.

Was he really ready to see his dad? What would he tell him? How would he explain to him why he was here without spilling the bean about the escape?

Barry felt so nervous, so elated, he was having some sort of outer body experience. Before he had time to really think about it, Carter Hall was opening the gate of the isolation wing, where death row inmates and really hardcore convicts were locked up. They stopped before an iron and solid door where the only opening was a little hatch at the bottom for food. It broke Barry's heart to know his father had been caged in such a gloomy place for the last six months. Finally, Officer Hall unlocked the gate and Barry held his breath.

First, when the panel opened, Barry didn't see anything but a little cell with yellowish render walls, a minuscule bared window near the ceiling and a basic, single bed. The man seated on the bunk was reading a book and lifted his eyes when he heard the door open. Then their gaze met and Barry had to repress the sob that threatened to suffocate him. His father looked older, rougher than the last time he had seen him. He wore a scruff and his head was nearly shaved. His skin had a sickening grey color and he seemed exhausted. He had bags under his usually hazel and sparkling eyes and seemed thinner. In short, he looked like hell.

Carter Hall nudged Barry on the back and he entered the cell like a robot, still unable to speak, or think, or breathe. "You have two hours", said the C.O before closing the gate behind him.

The sound of the lock acted as an electric shock that woke him from his stupor. Henry Allen seemed to be experiencing the same emotion because they suddenly moved at the same time. He stood up and stepped forward, an amazed expression on his tearful face, just as Barry threw himself into his outstretched arms.

"Barry…"

"Dad!" They choked in unison.

They stayed clasped into their embrace for God knows how long, Barry sobbing into his father shoulder and the man unable to stop himself from rubbing his son's back; as if to convince himself he was real. Finally, they tear themselves away, Henry’s hands still clutching Barry' shoulder.

Then, he said: "Slugger, what are you doing here?"

His eyes still overflown with tears, Barry gave him a little painful smile before answering: "I've been having some trouble for the last few months… I lost my job and kind of started to hang out with the wrong crowd. I…"

"Barry", interrupted his father, looking at him with a growing suspicion. "What aren't you telling me?"

He was such a bad liar when it came to his family… But he didn't want to talk about the escape with his father now. Not today. He wanted to enjoy their first alone time together in six months without the weight of the execution and the break out hanging above their heads.

"If I told you to be patient and to just trust me, would it be enough for today?" Asked Barry.

His father sighed and stared at him for a few seconds.

"Please?" He added with a little desperation in his voice.

"I think I'll regret this but… alright. Only if your promise me to tell me what the heck this is all about soon" agreed Henry.

Barry felt the beating of his heart grow steadier. "Soon. I promise." He smiled.

"Can I at least ask you what are you in for?" Enquired his father, inviting him to sit next to him on the bed.

Barry took his hand and grimaced when he answered: "Bank robbery."

Henry shook his head, frowning in disapproval. "It's five years, Barry! Five years of your life you'll waste away just for some old man that barely even raised you! Because I know I'm the reason you're here. And I'm not worth any on this. I'm not worth a single hair on your head!" He shouted, full of self-loathing.

Barry couldn't let his dad think this kind of thing. "It's not true", Barry interjected. "You're my dad. It's not your fault you're here. You're innocent and I've never blamed you for any of this. You're worth it. You're worth it because I love you. Always have and always will. Please, don't blame yourself for this. This is my decisions, my mistakes. I forbid you to blame yourself for any of this."

He forced his father to look him in the eyes. The pain and fear he saw in his pupils made Barry's inside twist. This place was bad for his dad, it had darkened his thoughts, had drained all hope out of his heart. He had to get him out of here!

"Slugger, you're far too good for this place" said Henry, tightening his hold on Barry's hand. "It's dangerous here, son. I'm scared of what could happen to you. Look at your face. What happened?"

Barry touched the cut on his cheek. It was healing pretty fast. The bruise on his jaw wasn't as purple anymore and it barely hurt.

"It's okay, dad. Don't worry. I've actually been pretty lucky so far. Cisco Ramon is my cellmate", he answered, hoping to comfort his father.

"That's good news. But, please Barry, be careful. Stay under the radar. Be as invisible as you can. If you behave, you'll be out of this hell in a few years".

Barry sighed. If he succeeded, they both would be out of Iron Heights and free far sooner than that. He just needed his dad to hold on a little bit longer. "I will, dad. I will", he promised, knowing it was a lie. But this time, his father seemed to believe him.

Dropping his shoulders, a little relieved but still low-spirited, Henry asked: "How come you've earn the right to come and see me?" He had a little smile on his grey face and Barry hoped that the fact they would see each other twice a week would cheer him up.

"The warden has asked me for a favor", he answered in a joyful voice. "In return, I get to see you for two hours every Wednesday and Sunday."

For the first time since he had stepped into his cell, Barry saw his dad offer him a real smile. Hope flourished into his heart at the sight. He would save him. Even if he had to lose himself in the process, Barry would save his father, nothing else mattered.

 

Len had everything figured out to the T for tonight. Since the unforeseen return of Oliver Queen in Gen Pop, he had come up with a new plan. A better plan. He would use his reputation to their advantage. Right now, he was hidden around the corner of the hallway where Thawn and his new puppy stood... flirting. It gave him the creeps. Len looked at his watch. Oliver was supposed to be here already. But as soon as he lifted his gaze, he saw Queen make his way toward him, his usual scowl plastered on his face. Did the man ever smile? Oliver didn't stop, only acknowledging him with a barely noticeable nod, before walking straight to Thawn.

Step one was a go.

"Thawn!" Called Queen.

Hidden where he was, Len could hear everything they would be saying.

"My, my, Oliver Queen himself. To what do I owe this too rare pleasure?" Drawled Thawn.

"I want in", answered Oliver.

Len couldn't' see him, but he bet that the man was standing straight and tall, his arms crossed on his broad chest and his face as stoic as usual.

Thawn seemed surprised because he didn't respond right away.

"I don't know what you mean…" he finally said, but Oliver interrupted him.

"I know what you're planning to do to the Allen kid. Harkness told me when I went to get a blade from him for the exact same purpose. And I want in."

There was enough contained anger in his voice to be convincing. He sounded like a man with a vengeance. Good. Len smiled.

"And why is that? What did the kid ever do to you?" Legitimately asked Thawn.

"The kid himself did nothing, but I have some serious beef with his father. And I figured the best way to make him pay was to hurt his son. You know what I'm capable of. I would be a great asset to your shanking team. So, what do you say?" Offered Oliver.

The wait for Thawn's decision appeared agonizingly long for Len. He chastised himself for getting this stressed out just for the sake of a stupid kid…

"Okay, Queen. You're in. Meet us in front of the shower room tonight, 20 minutes before roll call. The little shit loves to shower late to have some alone time…He makes it sooo easy for us, doesn't he? "

Did he always sound so… deviant?

So, Thawn had also noticed Barry's washing habits. Since their fall out, Len had forced himself to take a shower just after P.I, in the early evening. He kind of hated it, but he rather deal with a crowd of naked inmates than those intense green eyes anytime. He didn't know how he would react if they ended up face to face again and it made him nervous. He couldn't wait for it to be over so he could put all this Barry Allen's drama behind him and go back to his boring prison life.

Len listened a little more, Queen and Thawn exchanging banalities about Oliver stay in the S.H.U. But he had heard what he needed to, so he silently left the corridor, happy with how things were progressing. With a little luck, tonight would be the last time Len would willingly have to face Barry Allen. After that, he would just avoid him for the rest of his stay in Iron Heights. It wasn't that difficult after all. There were a lot of convicts Len saw everyday but never rubbed shoulder with. It would be easy to overlook the kid. He just had to get through tonight.

                The rest of the day passed in a heartbeat for Len and before he had the time to really think about it, he was standing in the laundry room with Mick, waiting for Barry to enter the shower room and for Oliver' signal. This place was the perfect hiding spot. They could listen to what was happening in the washroom and step in anytime without anybody's knowledge. It was suppose to be closed this late in the evening, but Len had asked for a favor and one of the convicts responsible for the laundry work had let the door open for him. All they had do to now, was wait.

Len was nervous, which was strange, because when he used to pull a heist, he was exhilarated and excited, yes, but never nervous. He trusted his plan and the people he was working with. So, there was no logical reason for his apprehension. Mick noticed that something was amiss when he put a hand on Len's fidgeting thigh.

"Easy, Snart. Nothing's gonna happen to your little boyfriend", whispered Mick.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Retorted Len in a hushed voice.

Mick gave him a little knowing smile and Len just rolled his eyes. His friend was wrong. He wasn't worried because of Barry, it was… He had a good reason, but he didn't want to think about it right now. He needed to focus.

A few minutes later, they heard footsteps on the other side of the door. They were light and jolly.

_Barry_ … thought Len. And he was right, because as soon as he turned the shower on, the kid started to hum.

"Is he… singing?" Asked Mick with wide eyes.

Len couldn't help but huff a laugh. "Yes, and quite well, I might add."

"How come you know this kind of sickening sweet details if isn't your boyfriend?" Enquired his friend with a raised eyebrow and a smug smile. Len chose to stay quiet on the matter and put a finger on his lips to hush Mick for good. Someone else was coming…

His whole body tensing, Len felt his heartbeat go faster as he listened.

"Pretty, pretty, come out, wherever you are", said Thawn in a sing song voice. The sound of the shower stopped immediately.

Fifteen seconds later, exactly, he heard Barry. "What do you want, Thawn?"

"You see, Pretty, I had a precise idea of what I wanted to do to you but then, you get out off the shower looking like _that_  and now, I'm torn", answered the sick psycho in a tone that made Len shudder with dread.

Was Barry naked?

No… Now was definitely not the time to linger on this kind of thoughts. Oliver signal could come at any moment and he needed to be ready.

"He's lovely, boss. Why don't we play a little with him before getting our hands dirty?" Suggested one of Thawn's minions with evident lust in his voice.

_You, you're dead_ , though Len, grinding his teeth.

"What an excellent idea! I'm dying to see what's hidden under this very frustrating towel", added Thawn.

Now was the time to act, right? What was Oliver doing? Len was ready to smash the door open, but Mick held him back with a hand on his shoulder and frowned eyebrows. Right. They had to stick to the plan. Len was feeling like his whole being wanted to be on the other side of this door. It was maddening.

"Stay back, or you'll regret it", threatened Barry with an unforgiving voice.

He had to give it to the kid, he definitely had some balls and he didn't scare easy. Because most of the convicts would have shit their pants if Eobard Thawn, Oliver Queen and a few others men had cornered them in the showers, quietly talking about rape and getting their hands dirty…

"Really?" Laughed Thawn, mocking. "And what are you going to do? Sing a little song and hope for the better? Because we are not in a Disney movie, Pretty. I am going to thrust this blade inside your lovely body. I'm just wondering if I prefer to add my cock to the mix before, or after you've bleed out on the floor."

Okay, that was enough. Len was leaving this room, with or without Oliver signal. But just as he was putting his hand on the doorknob, he heard Queen say:

"That's cold, Thawn."

That was it. It was cheesy, but Len had always loved puns. It was the signal.

The door burst open and Mick and he interrupted a very disturbing scene. Thawn and two of his minions were cornering a very wide eyed Barry Allen against the opposite wall. The kid was indeed, only wearing a minuscule towel, leaving only little to the imagination. All this smooth skin and stunning tattoos would have made any human being gone a little wild… The leader of the gang was holding a very nasty looking shank in one hand, the other outstretched toward Barry's forearm. Thawn's eyes widen in surprise when he turned his head and stopped his movement, frozen on the spot. With swift efficiency, Oliver, who was standing among the murdering trio, punched one of the guy. He collapsed on the ground, unconscious. The other tried to run, but Mick took a menacing step in his direction. "Don't even think about it, douchbag", he snarled. But the guy still tried to escape and joined his friend on the floor as a reward.

Thawn must have realized he would not succeed because, out of desperation, he seized Barry by the hair and angled his body in front of him, his shank under the kid's throat. When the tip of the blade dug into his flesh, generating a single drop of blood, Len saw red. He didn't particularly like hurting people, but in Thawn's case, he really wanted him to suffer. And he was sure he would enjoy every minute of his agony. He would kill him, slowly… very slowly.

Len, Mick and Oliver created a barrier between the man and the exit. He was trapped and he knew it. The remaining question was: what damaged would he do to Barry before any of them could reach him?

_Too much…_

Len's thoughts were going at full throttle. The kid's green eyes were fixed on him, but he didn't seem frightened. He was calm, more surprised by their presence here than by the blade currently digging into his throat.

"Nicely played, Snart", stated Thawn. "You had me fooled. And using Queen… clever. But what are you going to do now, eh? You've put so much effort into this little plan; you must really care for the kid. So, what will it be?"

Len had to act. Fast. And suddenly, he had an idea.

"The kid is just an accessory here, my real target is you. I've only used your little scheme as an opportunity to get you where I wanted. Alone. Defenseless. You're a parasite in this prison, Thawn, a cancer I wish to eradicate", explained Len, forcing his gaze to stay focused on the man and not Barry. Because if he took one look at the kid before the time was right, he knew he would be doomed to fail.

Thawn frowned, still skeptical. "So, if I were to, I don't know, slice this pretty little kid open, you wouldn't stop me?"

"Not if he's the only thing standing between you and me. So you, see, you're not really  _twisting_  my arm here…" Len said with a cold voice.

His heart was beating so hard he was afraid Thawn could hear it. It was risky, but he didn't have many options here. He just hoped Barry would get the message…

 

Barry couldn't believe what was happening to him. One second, he was peacefully humming under a warm spray of water and the next he was standing in front of Thawn, two of his minions and none other than Oliver freaking Queen, only wearing a towel.

It had to be a bad karma joke. Everything had been too easy, he had had too much luck and the universe was now making him pay the bill. Barry knew he could handle himself in a fight, but not against four men; one of whom was armed with a very nasty looking blade, and Oliver Queen, who looked like a wall of muscle. He realized at the moment Thawn opened his mouth to spit out his venom that he would probably die here. But he would not go down without a fight, especially if the psycho and his buddies intended to "have fun with him" before spilling his blood. Barry felt sick at the very thought of what a man like Thawn could do to him…

But as he was about to show his attackers what he was capable of, Barry heard more than he saw the laundry door burst open. When Leonard Snart and Mick Rory appeared, all glare and scowl, to come to his rescue, he thought for a second that he was hallucinating. Or he had fallen in the shower and knocked himself out and he was now dreaming… Because it was just ridiculous. How could they have known Thawn would attack him, here and now? And most of all, why would Captain Cold, whom had made very clear he couldn't care less about Barry, waste any of his precious time to help him?

When it was made clear that Thawn had been duped by Oliver Queen and the two Rogues and would not win this fight, he took what he could. Barry should have guessed that this little recuse party was too good to be true. The other shoe was bond to drop sooner or later. But he was so stunned by what was happening in front of his eyes, that he didn't see it coming. And, before he had time do to anything to stop Thawn's threatening arm, Barry was standing in front of the man, a sharp blade held under his throat and his eyes staring at Snart's face.

Then, Thawn tried to use him as a hostage and for a second, Barry was sure he saw real fear in Cold's blue eyes. It made his heart skip a hurried beat. He was still in some kind of a haze. Everything was happening too fast. And then, it was like time slowed, making him hyperaware of everything surrounding him. Snart, Rory and Queen standing like a barrier in front of him, Thawn's panicked breath on his neck, his trembling hand holding the blade, the smell of damp and the man' sweat. It all made him want to hurl and scream. He would NOT die like this, Barry refused to even consider this possibility. He had to think. Fast. He heard Snart say something about him being just an accessory, which hurt more than it should, before he focused on the world again.

Time seemed to shrink, ticking at a normal pace again, just in time for Barry to hear Thawn say: "So, if I were to, I don't know, slice this pretty little kid open, you wouldn't stop me?"

Barry sought Snart's eyes for an answer, holding his breath. But the man avoided his gaze, fixed only on Thawn.

"Not if he's the only thing standing between you and me. So you, see, you're not really  _twisting_  my arm here…" Cold finally responded, his voice as unyielding as a block of ice.

As Barry's felt something bitter eat his way up his chest, Snart finally bore his eyes into his. So much transpired in just a simple look! He felt his heart stutter as Cold's eyes conveyed so much emotions: fear, determination and… hope. It was like he was pleading him to read something into them. To uncover a secret. To understand something hidden beneath…

And suddenly, Barry got it. It was like he had been struck by lightning. It was simple. It was clever. It was their only chance.

_Twisting_. Snart had insisted on this word on purpose. Thawn was currently threatening Barry with a shank. A blade he was holding with trembling fingers. Barry had thought he was shaking because of nerves, but a serial killer like him didn't feel jumpy in times like this. They revered in the mere thought of bloodshed. If Thawn's hand was shaking, it was because he was holding the blade with the hand Barry had sprained a few days ago. And it was still weak. All Barry had to do was use this information to his advantage. Yes, it could work, but only if Snart distracted the man enough for him to reach his threatening arm…

Still staring intently at Cold, Barry winked, knowing that Thawn, who was standing behind him, wouldn't see a thing. Snart gave him an imperceptible little smirk in response, before saying: "But if you were to, I don't know, let me have a taste of this pretty ass you're holding captive… maybe we could come to an understanding."

That got Thawn's attention. The grasp around Barry's neck lessened a little. He smiled at Snart, urging him to pursue his distraction tactic.

"You would bury the hatchet with me in exchange for a good shag?" Asked the sick psycho with renewed interest.

It made Barry feel cheap and used, being talk about like some kind of sex toy people would use as bargaining ship. But he sucked up his resentment and slowly, very slowly, moved his hand toward Thawn's arm, keeping it close to his chest.

"Wouldn't you? I mean, look at him, isn't he adorable?" Added Snart, licking his lips while looking at Barry half naked body with hungry eyes.

Was he just faking or did Barry see real lust lurching in Cold's eyes? And why was he feeling so hot right now? Now was really not the time for this kind of thoughts, damn it!

Finally, Barry used Thawn sudden surprise to yank his wrist away from his throat. Holding on to the man's arm, he pressed on the joint where he knew the sprain was and dug his fingers into the bruised flesh. His attacker yelled and dropped the blade. Before the shank even touched the floor, Oliver Queen and Mick Rory had launched forward. The arsonist punched Thawn square in the nose before the ex-billionaire took him by the hem of his shirt to throw him against the wall with blinding force.

Barry took a step backward, shocked by such brutal violence. Then, he felt the presence of someone standing next to him. Snart. The man gave him a bunch of clothes, probably coming from the laundry room, before calling Rory and Queen to a stop. Thawn's face was already bruised and bloodied. Even after what the man had try to do to him, Barry left sorry for him. He had never liked violence…

While Barry was quickly getting dressed, Snart took a step toward his accomplice and said: "I let you two take care of him. But be swift, it's nearly roll call. Don't kill him, okay?"

Barry felt strangely relieved by Cold last order. He didn't want anyone to be too seriously injured or (especially not) killed because of him, even someone like Thawn.

"You, you're coming with me", added Snart, pointing a finger toward him. His face was now an impenetrable mask. Barry followed him into the corridor and out of the shower room. He was feeling strangely exhilarated now. It was probably due to the adrenaline sill running in his veins. He didn't know where he and Cold stood anymore. The man had just saved his life, so did that mean he had decided that Barry was worthy of his attention after all? Had he changed his mind about the break out? As mad as he had been about Snart's refusal, Barry still secretly hoped the man would revise his initial decision.

They walked side by side in silence before he decided that the palpable tension hanging between them needed to be shattered. "We made a pretty good team back there", noticed Barry with a wishful grin.

Cold stopped in the middle of the hallway, not far from the cell block entrance. They were alone for now, but anyone could pass by at any moment. But it didn't seem to bother Snart, who turned to Barry, his eyes throwing daggers. "Don't get used to it!" He retorted, his voice angry and strangely raspy. "Do you realize how carless you are, Scarlet? At this rate, you'll be dead long before you even try to break your father out."

Barry shushed him with an irritated frown. He looked around, just in case, but they were thankfully still alone. Despite that, he talked in hurried whispers when he asked: "Are you still going to pretend you're not interested in getting out of here?"

Snart crossed his arms against his chest and looked him down, stubborn. "Still not interested, Scarlet."

Barry rolled his eyes.  _Whatever…_  He was so frustratingly obstinate. It was maddening!

"But you apparently changed your mind about not wanting to have anything to do with me anymore", he guessed while Snart was looking at his nails, playing uninterested.

Because Barry knew… he was convinced there was something more! Cold would not have wasted time and energy for a kid he truly deemed "unworthy of his attention".

Snart looked at him with a lifted eyebrow. "For your information, I had decided to save your little ass from Thawn's claws  _before_  our… fall out. And I'm a man of my word. But now that it's done, we're over for good."

_Yeah, right!_  It would have had a little more weight if he hadn't already made this kind of promises before… But here they were again. Talking. Arguing. Barry had had enough of this fickle asshole. If Snart really wanted to cut all ties with him, so be it! Maybe it would at last help him put all that was Captain Cold related behind him for good (No puns implied).

"You say that like there was even a 'we' to begin with…" Barry answered dismissively.

"You're right Scarlet", Snart answered immediately. "There is no 'we' and there never will be. You and I are just two convicts, stuck in the same prison and who are obliged to see each other because they don't have any other choice. So, run along, little Scarlet. And farewell."

Cold even had the nerve to wave at him, like if he had been dismissed. Barry felt his irritation rise at lightning speed. He knew his cheeks were red, but he didn't care. Snart was making him so… so… angry!

"You're so full of shit!" He yelled, forgetting the fact that they were in the middle of a very public hallway. "Why did you even try to save my _little ass_  anyway? Me being gone would apparently solve all of your problems, so I don't understand why you even bothered at all!"

Snart took a step toward him, his blue eyes darkening. "Didn't you pay attention back then?" He interjected with a mocking huff. "I needed to remind Thawn of who was in charge around here. He was getting a little too cocky recently."

Barry was the one to move forward this time, getting into Cold personal space just to annoy him. "So what you're saying is that I was just a mean to an end? Right?" He asked with a sickened scowl.

They were standing so close Barry could feel the man quick breathe on his face and smell his entrancing scent. His eyes were mercurial, darkened and deadly. His heart missed a beat under their powerful intensity. Nobody had ever looked at him like that before, with such a perfect mix of rage and hunger, of cold and heat. Barry felt like he was about to spontaneously combust… or punch him. He didn't really know which impulse would win.

Snart's beautiful eyes drifted from Barry's pupils to his mouth as he leant a little over him, their face only inches apart now. "More or less" the man soughed against his lips, with a disarming cocky smile.

Barry couldn't help but gulp with upmost difficulty. Why was his throat so dry all of the sudden?

"Fuck you, Cold", he retorted in a very hoarse voice.

He didn't know if what he was feeling was anger anymore, but whatever it was, it consumed him. Barry's heart was beating so fast he could feel it against his temples. It was making him dizzy. It was frightening. He needed to get away from this suffocating hallway, away from Cold intoxicating presence.

_Right! Fucking! Now!_

Taking a step back, his eyes wide with dismay, Barry turned away from Snart and started to trot along the corridor. The more distance he was putting between him and Cold, the better. But it was without considering the man' stubbornness.

Before Barry could reach the safety of the crowded cell block, Snart took his arm and yank him backward to stop him. "Wait a minute; you can't talk to me like that!" He enraged.

In a miscalculated attempt to wrench his arm away from Cold's grip, Barry actually pulled the man toward him just as Snart dragged him back. As a result, they gracelessly ended up with Barry's back pressed against the wall while Cold stood before him, cornering him, with their whole front body plastered together. They had miraculously prevented their lips from smashing when they had turned their head just in time. They were now cheek against cheek in what looked like a passionate embrace. They both stayed stunned for a few seconds, trying to get their breath back.

That was so humiliating… and enraging… and hot!

His blood pressure still high on adrenaline, Barry could feel his whole body react to the other man proximity. He could feel the plane of Snart's hard muscles pushed against his own, the heat his skin radiated, the crazed beating of this heart… And his scent.  _Oh my God_. He smelled amazing. Barry felt his eyes close against his own volition and he threw his head back, releasing a little needy breath. As if his reaction had woken up Cold from his own mental breakdown, the man's hands, lost somewhere on Barry's back, started to move and ended up encircling his hips. He shivered when those long fingers clang into this flesh. Snart mouth blew a little breathe on the overheated skin of his neck and Barry had to bite his lips until it draw blood not to moan. This simple gesture created a wave of desire that rippled down his entire body. Cold then rubbed his cheek against his own until he could whisper right against the shell of his hear: "Scarlet…" He sounded so wrecked, so hoarse.

Okay, Barry's brain had officially overheated and was suffering from a meltdown.

His arms were hanging around Snart's neck and Barry hugged him even tighter, if such a thing was humanly possible. But he needed more. More contact. More heat. More… everything!

Finally, Cold decided to end their mutual torture when he straightened his head up so they could stare at each other. Barry couldn't help but grin, all anger and resentment long forgotten. Len (Yes, Len, not Cold or Snart anymore) was staring at him like he was some kind of miracle. It made something squeeze inside his chest. The man smirked back and closed his beautiful azure eyes while crossing the few inches separating their lips. Their nose bumped together, making them smile like loons, just when the roaring voice of Mick Rory suddenly called: "Hey, lovebirds! It's roll call time! Hurry the fuck up!"

As if someone had just plunged them into icy water, Barry and Len jumped apart. They only had time to share a single wide eyed look before Mick and Oliver joined them. Together, they hurried into the cell block. Barry threw a sideway glance at Len just before stepping into his cell, but the man was obviously avoiding his gaze. He was frowning, deep in his thoughts. When the barred door closed, Barry sat on his bed, his heart still beating like a madman against his ribcage.

What the hell did just nearly happen? Len (No! Cold or Snart. Not Len)… Snart and he had been arguing, with real shouts and temper. And then, like if they had been subdued by some kind of spell, they had found themselves one second away from making out like horny teenager. And all that only because they had touched…

What was wrong with him? Why did this infuriating man always turned him into a puddle of mixed emotions? He had to fight this. It wasn't healthy. It was… scary.

"Barr, what happened? And whose clothes are you wearing?" Asked Cisco from his upper bunk, his face obviously worried.

For the first time, Barry looked at himself and realized he was dressed in pants and a tee-shirt that were far too big for him. It was a miracle they hadn't slipped on the floor on his way here. Did Snart had given him his own clothes?

"I don't know", he admitted, lost.

Barry suddenly felt drained from all energy. He needed to sleep and sort his thoughts. Tomorrow, everything would be clearer, he was sure of it.

Or more accurately… he hoped it would.

\-----------------------------------

Next chapter next month! ^^


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

                Len hated Mondays. Even in prison where he had no other obligations than to be present at every roll call, it was a shitty day. And on top of everything, it was raining. But it wasn’t the kind of rain that freshened the air and cleaned dirt. This rain brought heat and desperation. Inside their cells, the inmates were suffocating and due to the weather, they couldn’t even go to the courtyard to get some air. Len hated heat and Mondays and when the two were combined, it was his personal hell. He was currently leaning against Mardon’s cell with Mick and Bivolo. Today, they had to spend their free time inside the cell block.

_Oh joy…_

His Rogues were talking about the latest gossip. Last night, Eobard Thawn had been found badly beaten up inside the shower room. He was currently in the A-Wing infirmary for an unknown period of time and none of the C.Os knew who the culprit was. The serial killer didn’t want to talk, which only meant one thing: Len’s message had been send and well received.

Apart from Mick, none of his men knew it was them who had brought Thawn down a peg or two, but they were celebrating the news.

“It serves him right, sick fuckers”, was saying Mardon with a little smile.

Mark could also be considered as a ‘ _sick fucker_ ’ but at least, he had a hint of conscience. Since he had agreed to be apart of Len’s Rogues, he had changed his ways and got control over his thirst for vengeance. He still enjoyed gratuitous violence far too much for Len’s taste, but the fact that he would soon become a father had calmed his urges.

“I would have given a lot to see him all bloodied and bruised”, added Mick, playing along.

Len hid a smirk. Yes, him too. But he had been far too focused on Barry Allen to even check out Thawn’ state last night. He frowned despite himself at the thought of the kid. What had really happened last night? Because he was still a little lost. He had been _very_ annoyed at Barry and barely had had the chance to give him a piece of his mind about his insane carelessness, before the kid had had the gut to talk about this stupid break out again. And it had made Len so angry…

Because of course he wanted to get out of here. Of course Barry wasn’t ‘ _unworthy of his attention’_ ; he was far too infuriating and cute for that. But this whole thing was a mess and far too dangerous, unpredictable. And Len hated unpredictability. He was a man who schemed and planned until he could foresee any outcome and surpass them. Barry was a wild card, a glitch Len seemed unable to figure out. And it pissed his off to no end.

Len didn’t even remembered what he had shouted after that, just that the kid had pushed all of his buttons until reaching his boiling point. And then, seeing Barry so outraged, his eyes so beautifully sparkling with anger, had tipped him over the edge. His wrath had molten into something even hotter and deadlier, melting his cold facade.

One second the kid had been close to him and the second, he had tried to get away. And Len had snapped, abandoning all pretenses. He wanted Barry Allen. He needed to have him close, to wreck him, to _own_ him… They had then literally fallen in each other arms, pressed against a wall. Len remembered thanking whatever deity that had made them stumble upon anything solid, because he had been so weak in the knees at this moment he was sure they would have toppled on the ground otherwise.

Barry’s long and lovely neck had been so close to his mouth… He had just wanted to lick it but had chosen to blow a shaky breath on the heated skin instead. The kid’s reaction had been immediate and he had moaned wantonly. Just thinking about it made Len feel horny again. He had said his name against his ear and they had stared at each other. Barry’s eyes had been like an open book and what Len had read into them had made him smile. He had been so close to kiss the life out of him…

And then, like the big oaf that he was, Mick had come barging in and killed the mood as effectively as if he had threw a bucket of cold water on their head. Len hadn’t been able to sleep well after that, replaying the scene in his head over and over. He couldn’t let something like that happen again. He had promised himself that after he had dealt with Thawn, he would avoid Barry Allen. And he still planned on doing just that. It was even more urgent after what had nearly happened last night.

The kid was bad news and too dangerous for him. He needed to stay the hell away from Barry. Len had never been controlled by his urges before and it wasn’t at 42 that it would change. He was stronger than that. He could do it. It would be easy-peasy.

Len decided to turn his attention back to his Rogues and their conversation. It was a far safer topic than replaying last night once more. Bivolo and Mardon were arguing about the best way to hurt someone without killing them…

_What a depressing subject_ , thought Len, lifting an unimpressed eyebrow. Mick took advantage of their heated conversation to whisper in his ear: “Where is your little boyfriend today?”

He must really have angered the universe for it to treat him so badly in return. Why, _oh why_ , everything seemed to remind him of Barry Allen just when he had decided to never think about him again? It was a bad joke from karma and Len was _not_ amused… at all!

With a deep scowl, he glared at Mick and answered between his gritted teeth: “For the last time. He’s NOT my boyfriend, so I don’t know or care where he is”.

It was true. But nonetheless, Len hadn’t seen him since yesterday, not that he had looked for him or anything. It was just an observation. Barry must be hiding somewhere with Ramon and Stein…

“So why were you _that_ close to smooch him yesterday? If Queen and I hadn’t interrupted whatever that was, I’m not sure what we would have walked upon …” retorted Mick before making a funny face, as if the mental pictures he was getting were particularly disgusting.

Len rolled his eyes, praying his best friend wasn’t currently visualizing him and Barry having sex… He already had issues NOT thinking about it himself, so it wasn’t for Mick to add his mental pictures to the mix!

Not thinking about the kid was supposed to be easy for Christsake! Len was doomed…

“Yesterday was a mistake, Mick. It was a temporary lapse of judgment not even worth talking about”, announced Len with deep conviction.  For only answer, his friend just lifted a skeptical eyebrow.

Len was far too happy to drop the subject when Officer Hall appeared at his side. “Snart, you’ve got a visitor”, he said.

On a Monday? Strange. Apart from Lisa, who only came on Wednesdays, nobody ever visited him. Sharing a slightly surprised look with Mick, Len followed the C.O out of the cell block.

When they didn’t stop at the usual visitor room, Len started to smell something fishy. Iron Heights had three different spaces they used for visitation.  The first was the one where convicts usually saw their families and loved ones and where the ‘no touching’ policy was pretty lax. The second one was more formal with tables separated in the middle by a glass pane and you had to use phones to communicate. The last one looked like an interrogation room and was usually used by lawyers and cops. In that room, inmates had to be cuffed and chained to the table. Len had nearly always been brought to the first one but today, Hall was leading him to the last one. It only meant one thing: he wouldn’t like the identity of whom was visiting him…

Hall apologized when he had to cuff Len’s wrists and feet before leading him to the table. He sat and was left alone for 85 seconds, leaving him the time to observe his surroundings. It really looked like a police station interrogation room. It even had a one way mirror to his left. The sight made Len smirk sourly. He remembered the first time he had stepped into a room like this one, back in the CCPD. He only had been fourteen years old at the time and already a criminal in the cop’s eyes. Len huffed a hollow laugh while looking at his cuffed hands. Nearly thirty years later and he found himself back here. He had the disturbing feeling he had never really left…

The door in front of him opened at last and when Len raised his head to meet his mysterious visitor, his blood froze in his veins. Wide eyed and horrified, his heartbeat blasting against his ribcage, Len watched the man sit across from him, unable to do anything but gap.

“Good day, Leonard”, the man said.

It was like his voice had been coming from far away, because it took an incredibly long amount of time before it reached Len’s ears. His brain was stuck, like if it had been iced over.

Realizing he would not answer him, still too stunned to react yet, the man asked with a mocking smile: “What is it, Leo? Aren’t you even going to say hello to your father?”

 

                Barry was glad it was raining like cats and dogs today. Being confined to their cell block meant he could work on the next step of the escape all day long. He still had to pop out of his cell sometimes to give the change but he spent most of his morning and mid-afternoon exploring the service hallways and pipes room of the prison. They were all rightly where he expected them to be and thanks to his tattoos, he didn’t get lost once. This place was a real maze. He understood why nobody had ever escaped before. Finding the way out of here was nearly impossible without a map.

Barry had finally pierced his way out of his cell late last evening. He had spent half of the night roaming the secret hallways but had had to come back sooner than expected when the C.Os had decided to make a surprised roll call in the middle of the night. Cisco, who had been on watch duty, had warned him by tapping on the toilets pipes. The sound had reverberated all the way to where Barry had been and by the time Zoom had called their names, he had been back in his bed.

Cisco was still watching out for him today and he had recruited Professor Stein to help him. When the man had learnt about the hole in their cell, he had simply lifted an eyebrow and said nothing. He had later confined to Barry that after spending half on his life in this prison, nothing could surprise him anymore. Stein hadn’t asked anything yet, but had made him promise to explain everything to him soon. Barry was now pretty sure the professor would be on board with his escape when the time would come. He could feel it with the way his clever eyes had sparkled when he has seen the hole.

Standing in front of a cement wall where he knew the evacuations pipes were hidden, Barry looked at his watch. He would have to go back to his cell soon; he already had been gone for too long. Frowning, he realized he would need Cisco expertise for the next step to work out. His friend had an engineer eye and saw things he couldn’t.

On his way back to the cell block, Barry came upon something that made his blood run cold. Zoom was here, and he wasn’t alone. Officer Savage was with him and they were thankfully too engrossed in their conversation to notice him. What were two C.Os doing hidden in the service hallways in the middle of the day?  Pressing himself against the wall, hidden behind a big steaming pipe, Barry listened.

“The arrogant fucker thinks I’m still licking his boots but what his father is offering is far more interesting”, was saying Zoom with barely concealed excitement in his voice.

“As long as it’s good money, I’m in. But what does a dirty cop can really offer us?” Asked Savage.

“He’s organizing a power play with the Santinis to take over Cold’s business. He will soon be the new boss and with him, money will flow. The only thing we have to do is to keep his fucking son in the dark and act as usual until Snart Senior says so. When the time will come, we will turn a blind eye and let things unfold”, explained Zoom.

Barry didn’t like what he was implying… not at all!

Lewis Snart was supposed to be in protective custody waiting to witness against Cold on his upcoming trial. What was he doing scheming with the two worst C.Os  of Iron Heights? His plan to take the bastard down would still work with him back in the world, but what did that mean for Lisa and Snart? Their father was a monster and Barry feared what his return could mean… Especially after what Zoom had just said. Lewis Snart had asked the C.Os to turn a blind eye, but to what? Was Cold in danger?

Barry needed to find out more about this new mystery. After Snart basically saved his life last night, he owed his that much. But the two C.Os started talking in whispers and from his hiding place, Barry couldn’t hear them anymore. He at least had to warn Cold about his father’s intentions.  Planning on doing just that as soon as he would be back in Gen Pop, Barry left the hallway without being seen by the two scheming guards.

Like if his life wasn’t already complicated enough…

                When Barry went through the hole in his cell, he discovered Cisco and Stein who were chatting animatedly.

“This theory is preposterous, Mister Ramon. I can’t believe a fine scientist like yourself can believe in such nonsense!” Was arguing Stein, pacing in front of the bunk beds.

“Science should be limitless, it should go as far as your imagination”, retorted Cisco with passion.

“What are you talking about?” Asked Barry, while putting the toilets/sink back in place so it would hide the hole again.

Stein and Cisco turned their head in his direction simultaneously, both with frown eyebrows and the same resolute face. “The legitimacy of the time paradox assessment made in Doctor Who”, answered the professor with outmost solemnity.

Barry couldn’t help but burst out laughing. They were ridiculous. They were such giant nerds… In any other time, he would have loved to join their dispute; because he had quite a few things to say on the subject, but he had a far more important matter to attend to.

“Do you know where Snart is?” Enquired Barry.

Cisco expression turned from serious to suspicious in a flash. “Why?”

Barry had told him about the Shower Fiasco and the fact that Cold had saved him (however knowingly avoiding mentioning what had nearly happened after, half because he was afraid of his friend’s reaction and half because he still didn’t really know what it all meant), but Cisco still wildly distrusted Snart.

“I think he may be in danger”, said Barry, still a little shaken by what he had learnt about Lewis Snart.

“Don’t care and you shouldn’t either! The guy is a total douch!” Shouted Cisco, pointing a finger to Barry’s chest.

“I don’t really know what a ‘ _douch_ ’ really is but if Mister Snart really is in danger, than young Mister Allen here should definitely try to help”, intervened Stein, his brow wrinkled with genuine concern. “I saw him leaving with Officer Hall half an hour ago. He still hasn’t come back”.

Sidestepping Cisco, who tried to stop him, Barry thanked Stein with a little smile before stepping outside. The next cell was empty. Where was Mick Rory? Turning around, he looked around the block and found the arsonist on the ground floor, chatting with a few other Rogues, including Mark Mardon. Barry didn’t like the man. He had been arrested while trying to kill Joe so he had a big grudge against him. But he didn’t really think about the consequences when he ran down the stairs and stopped in front of a wide eyed Mick Rory.

“Rory, do you know where Cold is?” Asked Barry with urgency.

Mick frowned, probably surprised by his sudden appearance, before grunting: “If it’s for a booty call, you’re gonna have to be patient, Red. Snart’s busy.”

_Red?_ Since when did Mick Rory was giving him nicknames?

“It’s _not_ that”, retorted Barry, annoyed. “I just really need to talk to him. Could you…”

“Wait a minute!” Interjected Mark Mardon, staring at Barry. “I was sure I had seen you before but I couldn’t put my finger on it. But I remember now. I know you! You’re Joe West’s kid!”

_Oh, crap…_

Mardon took a threatening step toward him and his eyes darkened. “Your dad is the reason I’m here. What do you think it would do to him if I roughened you up a little?”

Barry eyes widen in shock. He hadn’t been expecting that at all. He knew this man hated Joe, but he had never known that Mardon had been obsessed enough to learn about who he loved and what his family looked like. This was bad. This was _really_ bad.

But before anything more could be said or done, a big hand landed on Barry’ shoulder. He looked behind him to see Mick Rory; quite frightening with his scowl and intense stare, state in an intimidating voice: “Sorry, Mark, but the kid’s off limit”.

As stunned by this unexpected turn of event as Barry himself, Mardon sniggered: “And why is that, Mick?”

“Because if you weren’t so thick and self-centered, you would have noticed that little Red here is Cold new boytoy. So hands off, partner, unless you want to defy the boss?” Answered Rory with evident warning in his voice.

So he was Snart’s _boytoy_ now? Hell no! He would not let that preposterous belief stand!

Pushing the arsonist protective hand from his shoulder with a shrug, Barry took a step to the side so he could face them both. His face must really reflect his anger because they looked slightly taken aback.

“First of all, I’m _not_ and I will _never_ be anybody’s boytoy, and certainly not Snart’s. Secondly, I don’t need your protection, Rory, I’m perfectly able to defend myself from obsessive maniacs, thank you very much. And finally, Mardon, you’re welcome to try and hurt me but it won’t ever change the fact that we’re stuck here together, out of my adoptive father’s reach. Your obsessive vengeance over Joe is childish. He doesn’t have a beef specifically with you, he was just doing his job when your brother died and he arrested you. It’s like if you blamed a doctor for not saving someone with cancer. You’re the one who screw up and broke the law, knowing what the consequences could be, so don’t you come crying now because you’ve been caught by the consequences of your own actions.”

After his little monologue, Barry breathing was labored. God, it was good to get all that out of his chest. He had wanted to say this to Mardon since the day he had learnt he would have to be jailed with him. Rory and the other convict were looking at him with quite comical gapped mouths. Finally, the arsonist huffed an appreciative laugh, as if he was impressed and nudged Mardon. “Fiery little shit, isn’t he, I understand now why Snart had the hots for him”, he pointed out with the beginning of a smile.

Was Barry hallucinating or did he just gain Mick Rory’s approval? He didn’t really know how to feel about that…

Mardon was about to say something, but he was interrupted when a voice resonated a few feet away from them: “What the hell is happening here?”

The three of them turned their head toward the newcomer and Barry felt his inside tightened. Cold was back. And he looked pissed.

 

                Len wondered for a second if he wasn’t having a bad dream. It was that or he had fallen down the stairs and broken his neck and was now in hell, because there was no way his father was actually here in front of him. He was supposed to be hidden somewhere in protective custody, waiting to testify against him. But he wasn’t dreaming and he wasn’t dead either because Lewis Snart suddenly smashed his fist against the table, a shiver of dread making his way up Len’s back.

He was here.

“Answer when you’re spoken to, son!” His father bellowed, his face scowling in anger.

Len jumped slightly, his whole body jerking backward as an instinctive reflex. Breathing deeply to regain his composure, he hid his emotions behind his famous Captain Cold’s mask, hardhearted and smug.

“To what do I owe this unexpected visit?” He asked with his usual drawl. His heart was pounding; he could feel it hit his ribcage with blind force. But he knew none of his feelings transpired because his father frowned, unable to decipher him.

“Can’t a father come and say hello to his son without ulterior motives?” Said Lewis with an ugly smile.

Len expression darkened even further.

“Cut to the chase, old man! What are you doing here?”

His father lost his false grin and his all demeanor passed from casual to threatening.

“Don’t you dare talk to me like this, child!” He barked, his fist colliding with the table, making the furniture tremble.

Len did everything in his power not to flinch back. He had to show this bastard that he wasn’t afraid of him anymore. But it was difficult. More than he thought it would be. In his darkest dreams, Len had imagined how his next confrontation with his father would be like. Sometimes, he was brave and he had the guts to tell the man everything he had always wanted to tell him. Sometimes, he was cold and acted as if his father wasn’t even in the room. Lewis Snart had always hated to be ignored after all… But, more often than not, his dreams had turned into nightmares and the grown man Len was had shrunk in front this sorry excuse of a human being and suddenly, he was a boy once again. And he was scared shitless.

Right now, once again facing his father, Len couldn’t help but think back about all those times this man had taken him buy the collar and beat him to a pulp, just because…

But he had to fight back the terror that slowly crept toward his heart. He had to be strong. He was the infamous Captain Cold after all. He was strong!

“For your information”, finally answered Len with his haughtiest voice. “I’m 42. Not a child anymore. Not afraid of you either.”

Lewis sneered. He really looked like an ogre from a twisted horror story right now. Another flash of the frightened boy that he had been zoomed in front of Len’s eyes. But he pushed it back far, far away. He would deal with this later. Now, he couldn’t allow his father to see any crack in his icy mask of steel.

“We’ll see about that…” said Lewis, taping a finger on his still curled lips.

Len hated the way his father was watching him, like if he was full of potential, but damaged, broken, not worthy. He had always felt weak and alone with his man and he hated this more than anything.

“I came here as a curtsey really”, Lewis added, as if the fact he had come at all was an honor or something. “Since you’ve gone, the family business is a real mess, so I decided to come back and help your little sister. And I would very much like for you to work with me. It would send a powerful message to our associates if you, my son, would agree to come back and be by my side.”

Len felt a cold shiver of dread travel down his spine at those words. If this bastard even dared touch a hair on Lisa’s head… But he remained emotionless and only lifted a humorless eyebrow.

“And how could I do that, trapped behind bars? I’m here because of you, remember?” He pointed out, his voice oozing sarcasm.

Len started tapping on the table between them to prevent himself from fidgeting. The wheels in his brains were rushing, rolling and turning at full speed. He tried to examine every flick on his father’s face and to predict every scenario.

Why was he really here? Len knew his father couldn’t care less about his and Lisa’s business. What kind of game was he playing at? Whatever the answer would be, he was certain he wouldn’t like it. Not in the slightest.

Finally, after a few seconds of icy silence where Lewis watched Len like a hawk, he finally answered: “That’s where I think you’ll be happy I came. If you agree to come back and help me run the family business, I’ll revise my testimony against you. You could be a free man in a few months…”

Len stayed dumbstruck for a moment.

_WTF???_

It didn’t make any sense! His father hated him. He had been the one selling him to the police in the first place. Why would he suddenly decide to grow a conscience?

Len couldn’t believe his ears. He needed time to think this through. Alone. _Right NOW_!

“I’ll think about it”, he simply answered, his mind very far away. It was like he had stumbled upon a world of fog and twisted turns.

Len barely remembered standing up and taping the door to ask Zoom to take him back to his cell. He knew he heard his father tell him he would be back soon and would need an answer, but it seemed to come from far, far away. He only walked, his mind frozen and his thoughts all over the place. Len was very proud of his brain and its amazing capacity to always grant him with a plan. But today, it was as numb and frozen as a corpse. His father had succeeded to render him completely dumbstruck. It was a first. And Len hated it! He abhorred the very thought that this man above all others could still upset him so, even after all these years.

Only when Hall left him at the cell block entrance, did Len shook his head violently and got back to earth. His mind decided to run again and finally, finally, his brilliant brain kicked started. A thousands questions fused around his skull, giving him a headache, but he saw something from the corner of his eye that stopped his mental overheat dead.

Barry Allen was standing among his Rogues and…

Did he just see the kid scold his two best men like if they were _goddamned_ children? That was too precious. Any other day, this mere fact would have made him burst out laughing. But not today. Today was a disaster and even the lovely pouting mouth of Barry Allen wasn’t enough to cheer him up.

Deciding it was time to put an end to this, Len walked towards his Rogues and stopped just behind Barry. He crossed his arms on his chest and said: “What the hell is happening here?”

Mardon, Mick and Scarlet all turned to him with wide eyes. Len knew his anger and frustration must be evident on his face because the three man cringed.

“Cold!” Shouted Barry. He took a step toward him and added in a hushed voice: “I need to talk to you, in private. It’s kind of urgent.”

Len tried not to flinch when the kid amazing electric and warm smell invaded his nostril. From this close, it was hard not to notice how green his eyes were… Something in his chest softened, but he stayed emotionless. He didn’t have time for this. Barry Allen was drama and he had already enough of his own drama to deal with, especially today. All Len wanted was to go up to his cell and be alone to think. But Scarlet face was grave and eager. It really must be important for Barry to go to him after their “fight” in the corridor the other night.

Letting out a deep sigh, Len just nodded and asked the kid to follow him. They went up the stairs and stepped inside his cell. He tried not to notice how his Rogues (especially Mick), were looking at him. Facing Barry, Len lifted an eyebrow, sign he was listening to him.

“Right”, said Scarlet, a little breathless. “Don’t ask me how I know this, but I heard Zoom and Savage talk about your father. And…I think they are planning something bad against you. They said he was working with the Santinis.”

Len felt his heart race into a frenzy. What Barry was saying only added more questions to the thousands already running through his head.

What was his bastard of a father planning? And why would he ally himself with guards? He didn’t like any of the answered his brain came up with. He needed to talk to Lisa. If their father really planned on taking back the family business, she was in grave danger. Especially if he was in league with the Santinis.

Without even glancing at Barry, far too focused on his inner thoughts, Len walked out of his cell. The kid called after him, but he didn’t turn back or answered. He needed to make a phone call.

Len had a very bad feeling about this…


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

                On Thursday, the weather had worsen. The rain had thankfully stopped, but had brought a moist and heavy heat that clang to everyone’s nerves. Iron Heights had air conditioning, but it was barely enough to keep the inmates cool. Locked in their cells, they were sweating and on edge. The air was thick and damp, and the atmosphere reeked tension. The guards already had had to put an end to several fights among the inmates, driven mad by the heat. If things went on like this, it would only become worse.

The only inmate that didn’t suffer from the heat was Barry. He was currently running through the service corridors of the prison, the concrete walls surrounding him keeping the heat away. Cisco had just tapped against the pipes in their cell to warn him that he had to get back. Out of breath, Barry crawled into the hole on the wall and barely had time to put the sink/toilet back into place before Officer Savage appeared in front of their cell.

With a nasty smile, he said: “Surprise roll call, fish!”

After a few seconds of ogling Barry and Cisco from head to toe, which made them twitch uncomfortably, Savage disappeared to check the next cell. Only then did Barry let out a breathless sigh and fell back against the table. The heat clang to his skin in a heartbeat and he pushed sweaty lock of hairs away from his forehead.

“That was a close one”, hushed Cisco, sitting on his bed.

“Yep”, answered Barry. “Too close. With those stupid surprise roll call, we are really behind on schedule. If I want to get to the next phase of the plan, I’ll need your help and we’ll have to be out of this bloody cell for hours. And we can’t.”

He came to sit next to Cisco and hide his face in his hands.

“It’s not working, Cisco. I should have known something like this would happen. My dad only have ten weeks left. I… I don’t know what to do…” moaned Barry.

He wanted to cry right now. Hope was slowly escaping his bleeding heart. His father’s life depended on him. But he wasn’t worth it. He wasn’t enough. He…

Cisco put his hand on his shoulder and interrupted his dark thoughts.

“There is a way to make sure all the guards will stay out of the cell block. But it would be crazy… and super dangerous”, offered Cisco.

Barry lifted his head towards his friend and he must really look desperate because Cisco sighed and rolled his eyes. He had always been unable to say no when Barry used his “kicked puppy eyes”.

“But we are crazy and aren’t afraid of danger, right?” He added, hopefully.

Cisco’s lips formed a slow and mischievous smile before he said: “Okay then. We need to create a lockdown.”

The best way to achieve a lockdown for the entire cell block was to create a fight between the inmates and the guards. And with the growing tension due to the insufferable heat, it would be quite easy. All Barry had to do was to make sure the air conditioning was damaged and the most aggressive and irritable inmates would do the rest of the job for him. The first part of the plan worked really well. On Tuesday night, Barry sneaked out of the cell and blew a fuse in the air conditioning box. In the morning, when the burning and unforgiving sun rose, it was so hot in the cell block that even their sheets were drenched in sweat. A pungent and heavy smell of unwashed skin soon invade the entire block and when the morning roll call came, most of the inmates stepped out of their cell grumpily, only wearing a soaked tank top.

Barry couldn’t help but sneak a peek at Snart, but only Mick Rory appeared from the cell next to his. He only remembered now that it was Wednesday and that he was probably in the visitor room talking to his sister at this very moment. Since Cold had left him quite rudely two days before, Barry had barely seen him. He had eaten at a table far away from his at lunch and breakfast and had seemed lost in his thoughts. Sometimes, Barry had felt Snart’s eyes on him, but every time he had tried to check if the man had really been looking at him, he had found him staring at his plate instead. Barry had hoped that what he had told Cold about his father could in any way help him gain his trust. But he had been mistaken… again.

Leonard Snart remained a mystery. He couldn’t stop thinking about him even if he tried. And, honest to God, he really DID try his best. But Cold was always lurking somewhere in his mind. He had been in Iron Heights for a whole week now, and in so little time, the man had manage to carve himself into Barry’s very soul and that was slowly driving him crazy. 

The morning roll call started as usual, the guards (Zoom and Savage today), went up and down the rows of cells and noted on their pad if everyone was present. When he stopped in front of Mick, Savage frowned.

“Where’s Cold?” he asked the arsonist with his usual nasty smile.

“Hall came to fetch him earlier. His sister is here to see him”, Mick answered in a grunt.

Barry noted he was quite impressive in a tank top, his burly frame and strong muscle glistening with sweat. Even someone as proud as Savage had a hard time looking him in the eyes for too long. Barry noticed with a slight grimace of pain that Rory arms and shoulders were scared with old burns. That must have hurt…

“Right, I’d forgotten”, murmured the guard, checking Rory and Snart’s name on his list.

He was about to walk to Barry and Cisco when a voice boomed from down below.

“Step back, Mardon!” Was shouting Zoom.

Savage, probably sensing something was about to go very wrong, nearly ran down the stairs to join his colleague on the main floor. Curious, most of the inmates from the upper levels leant upon the railing to see what was happening. Barry saw that Mardon had made two steps toward the guard and was staring at him in anger.

“We’re boiling in this shithole! Maybe I’ll step back when you’ve decided to turn the air conditioning back on!” The threat behind the Rogue’s voice was obvious.

Zoom and Savage looked at all the inmates, sweating and glaring at them and for the first time, Barry saw real fear in their eyes. His own heart was beating fast and hard against his ribcage.

Was it the moment?

“Calm down, men! We’re all in the same boat here”, tried Zoom, but Mark Mardon still took a step toward him, his face dark and hostile.

The guards seemed really scared now, especially when three of Thawn groupies joined the Rogue and rolled their muscles in threat.

“I’ll only say it one last time”, yelled Zoom. “STEP BACK!”

But none of the inmates moved.

Shaking his head in disbelief, the guard said: “Alright, you filthy shit! You’ve done it!” Taking his talkie out, he added: “DeVoe, lock those beasts in.”

An uproar of voices broke the silence and Zoom and Savage had to run out of the cell block, most of the inmates on the ground floor chasing after them. But they managed to pass the threshold just before the barred doors closed behind them. They sneered at Mardon and shouted: “We’ll see how you’ll all manage without water and food for an entire day in this heat. It’ll teach you, you scum.”

Behind him, Barry saw the door of his cell closing. He had just enough time to get inside with Cisco before it locked. They were on lockdown.

He saw that most of the inmates who didn’t want to cause trouble had followed his example and were now safe in their cell. But nearly the entire ground floor was swarming with at least twenty free prisoners.

They had all gathered in front of the cell block control room. Zoom, Savage, a new guard named DeVoe and Hall were all inside and looked at the growing mass of inmates that were tapping on the glass panel separating them and shaking the bars, probably hoping to break them.

But Barry and Cisco barely saw the increasing ruckus. They had managed to get themselves free from roll call for an entire day. Hanging out a sheet in front of their cell to prevent anyone from seeing what they were doing, Barry and Cisco crawled out of the hole behind the sink and ran.

They had work to do.   

 

                Len was sitting in front of Lisa, completely ignorant of what was happening in his cell block. He was happy to see her at last. On Monday, when he had tried to call her, she hadn’t answered. He had left her a message but hadn’t had the opportunity to talk to her about their father before today. They had barely sat down before Len had told her everything.

Lisa was as dumbstruck as him when she heard about his offer to change his testimony. But when Len told her about their father working with the Santinis to try and take back the family business, she seemed far less surprised.

“I knew something fishy was happening lately”, she confided, leaning forward to make sure the other inmates wouldn’t hear her. “The Santinis are far bolder than before in their attempt to shake us down. I understand why now. If they are in league with Lewis, they could really be a problem.”

“A problem you couldn’t handle?” Asked Len, feeling dread pooling down his spine.

“I don’t know”, shrugged Lisa. “Maybe. As long as you are behind bars, it’s a risk. And if Lewis is really involved…”

Len didn’t like the spark of genuine fear he was seeing in his sister’s blue eyes. He knew she was right. He trusted her like nobody else to take care of his business in his absence, but if their father put his big and ugly nose into this whole mess, they could definitely lose.

 _As long as you are behind bars_ , she had said.

That made him remember that he still hadn’t talk to her about Barry’s ridiculous escape proposal. A plan that she had chosen to be involved with without telling him. For a second, he had completely forgotten about the kid’s crazy break out, far too focused on his father return and his absurd offer to think about anything else.

If Len was honest with himself, he had forgotten about the kids’ plan, but not the kid. Never the kid. Barry Allen really was a nuisance, because even in times like these, when he was supposed to be focused on planning and scheming to get him and Lisa out of trouble, Scarlet was still far too present in his mind. He had weaved himself inside Len’s core and didn’t seem keen to ever leave.

In this insufferable heat, thinking about Barry was nearly driving him mad. He had seen him last night at lunch, only wearing a tank top. And the sight of all this pale and tattooed sweaty skin had rendered him quite breathless. Since their epic (and steamy) fight on Sunday evening, Len had tried to distance himself from the kid, but it was useless. His eyes and body seemed irrevocably attracted to him, like a magnet. Every time Barry was near, he could feel it, something warm and thick coiling deep in his stomach. And there was this bloody flutter ( _really, flutter Cold?_ ) that flared inside his chest when he happen to catch even a glimpse of the kid.

It was a nightmare. Barry was everywhere. In his dreams, in his mind, in his body…

Len had had to nearly slap himself in the face just the day before. He had been watching the kid from the corner of his eyes during free period. Scarlet had been talking and laughing with Cisco and Stein just outside his cell. He had been staring at him so closely that he had seen a drop of sweat leaving his damp temple to trickle down his jaw, his neck, only to get lost inside his shirt. And what he would have given for a chance to catch his drop with his tongue and lavish his long and pal neck with his mouth…

It had been when this very thought had crossed his mind that Len had wanted to knock himself out. It was the heat. _Of course it was the heat!_ And it was driving him crazy

Len nearly hesitated to talk to Lisa about Barry, afraid his far too intuitive sister would be able to sense his irrational attraction for the kid. But he had to. It was far too important to remain unsaid.

Linking his fingers before him on the table, Len said in a low voice, looking at Lisa from beneath his lashes: “About me still being behind bars, what were you thinking allying yourself with this crazy kid and his preposterous escape plans?”

Lisa only raised an eyebrow. “So, I see you’ve met Barry.”

Len grinded his teeth, not liking the aloof reaction of his sister.

“Yes. I’ve met him alright. And I’ll tell him the same thing I told him. I will not be a part of this nonsense. It’s far too dangerous and risky for both of us.”

“Has he told you about his tattoos?” Asked Lisa with a little smile.

That was not the answer he was aiming for. Was his sister trying to change the subject? He was about to ask her just that when Lisa cut him with widening eyes.

“He hasn’t. And I assume it was because you didn’t leave him any chance to try and thoroughly explain his plan.”

She sighed deeply.

“I knew you would react like that, you stubborn oaf! You really don’t know what it’s like out there without you. I didn’t agree to work with him lightly, Len. I need you to come back, not just as my brother but as our boss. We need you.”

Len knew his sister was genuinely serious. The distress in her voice couldn’t be faked. She, like him, was proud and hated to show her true emotions, they both saw it as a weakness. So, the mere fact that she let herself be that vulnerable in front of him was proof enough that she meant it.

“Lisa, you realize that even if I did manage to get out of here, I would be a notorious fugitive. I would not be able to be the face of the business anymore”, Len reminded.

“But you would be out regardless and the ones daring to try and take what it’s ours would know it too. They would fear your retribution even if you stayed underground”, replied Lisa with determination.

He would not win this fight. He knew it. When Lisa had her mind set onto something, she never backed down. And if she really needed him free, Len had to make it happened. He loved her more than anything. He would do everything for her…

The question was: which offer would he choose to accept? Barry’s very risky one, or his father’s?

With Barry and if they succeeded (and it was a very big _if_ ), he would stay an outlaw for the rest of his life. Lewis’ offer was safer and would mean he could be a free man, all charges dropped from his case. But, in the end, that wasn’t really a question, wasn’t it? Because Len would never ally himself with his father again. He would rather die than let this bastard have any say in his life anymore.

So, it was settled. Len would accept Barry’s break out plan.

“If I tell Lewis to go to hell with his offer, would you be able to handle the few weeks to come? Because the escape won’t be easy. It would take some time and I would hate to put you in danger”, asked Len, taking Lisa’s hand and giving it a squeeze.

The smile that shone on her face was the best thing he had seen in weeks (apart from Barry’s bum, perhaps.)

“We’ll manage”, she said brightly. “Thank you, Len.”

He only nodded and put his hand away.

“So”, added Lisa, leaning back on her chair. “What do you think about Barry?”

There was a very special twinkle in her eyes that made Len’ stomach drop. He sighed and rolled his eyes. He knew he would not like this change of topic very much…

 

                Barry and Cisco lost track of time, working on a way to crumble to wall of concrete that would led them to the maze of pipes hidden under the prison. Cisco had had an idea. They would just have to weaken the structure of the wall by piercing several holes in very specific places. Like this, creating a breach would only take a few blows. But first, they needed something to create those said holes. Luckily, Barry had managed to sweep a hand whisk from the kitchen a few days ago thanks to Stein connections. With a few simple modification, it now looked like some kind of manual drill.

Cisco and him were taking turns creating the holes, covered in sweat because of the awful heat they were responsible for, when suddenly, a shrilling alarm blared around the entire prison. They both jumped in surprise and exchanged a wide eyed look.

They both knew that this very significant alarm meant. Somewhere, inside Iron Heights, a riot had just occurred.

In silent consent, they ran back to their cell in a hurry. Barry prayed that it wouldn’t be his fault, that they would not reentered the cell block to realize the destruction of the air conditioning had resulted in a riot where people would inevitably get hurt.

But they didn’t have such luck. When Barry pushed the sink/toilet away to go through the hole, he came face to face with Martin Stein and a very grumpy looking Mick Rory. Their cell door was wide open, the sheet lying to the floor. Screams and shouts rang all around the block, people running wild past their cell. Barry smelled smoke in the air.

“What the hell is happening here?” Asked Cisco, who had crawled back after Barry.

When he saw Rory, he visibly paled. It was a disaster.

“The inmates that were out of their cell after lockdown managed to get inside the control room. They cornered Hall and took his keys. And now, the worst rake of the prison is running wild around the B block”, explained Stein.

Barry had never seen his look so nervous. When he glanced at Rory, ready to ask what he was doing here and why he didn’t seem surprise at all to see him and Cisco emerge from a hole in their cell, Stein added:

“When Mardon opened all of the cells and I didn’t see any of you around, I gathered that you had taken advantage of the lockdown to… carry on with your secret business. So, I came here to make sure nobody would find the very specific thing hidden behind your toilet. But it seemed that Mister Rory here has beaten me to the chase.”

Barry lifted a surprise eyebrow toward the arsonist. He was looking at them with a frown. He only noticed now that his eyebrow arch was bleeding.

“Some of Thawn’s minions tried to use the panic to overpower me or something. They managed to get the first punch and to corner me here. I put an end to it quickly enough, but in the ruckus, I smashed one of them into the sink and found your little backdoor exit”, explained Rory.

Never before had Barry heard him talk this much in a single day. But what Mick had said made his heart stutter in dread.

“Did any of them see…”

“No”, said Rory. “They were knocked out long before that.”

Barry barely had time to sigh in relief before Cisco stepped toward Mick with a scowl.

“And why aren’t you growling to everyone about what you’ve found?” He asked suspiciously.

 To everyone’ surprise, Mick Rory let out a sharp laugh. “You’ve got balls, kid. I like it. For your information, I’m far cleverer than I look and I know that if I want to get on your little _break out_ _team_ , growling about the hole in your cell to anyone isn’t the best way to act.”

That rendered Cisco and Barry speechless. Getting Mick on the team had always been part of his plan. He would need to use his daily visit to the infirmary later on, but he had thought that, without Snart already on board, it would have been really hard to convince him.

Finally, this strange turn of event could be a good thing.

Barry was just about to speak when Bivolo, another of Snart’s Rogues, ran into the cell.

“Heatwave!” He called, breathless and sweaty. “Cold’s in danger!”

Without a second thought, Rory bolted out of the room, Barry hot on his heels. A thousands of awful scenarios playing inside his head, his heart beating like a crazy drum, he followed Bivolo and the arsonist to the control room. The entire cell block looked like a war zone. Toilet paper, sheets and furniture were scattered on the floor, people were cheering and smoking and screaming. But Barry saw nothing of it. All he could think about was Snart.

Several inmates were standing in the control room, looking at a row of TV showing security camera footages from all over the prison. Barry saw prisoners running along the corridors, destroying everything in their path. But soon, his eyes landed of the last screen, the one Bivolo was pointing. It showed the hall just outside the visitor room on block A. In the middle, quite easily identifiable, stood Cold. He had his back to the wall and was cornered by three man with a pointy shank in their hands, a forth one standing behind them.

“Santinis!” Barked Rory, his face a mask of fury.

He was already halfway out of the room when Barry caught his arm.

“Wait! You can’t help him. Cold is in another block, you will never get to him”, he started.

But Rory wrenched his arm away from him. “Those bastards will kill him! I’ve to go…”

“You don’t have the keys to access block A. But I know my way around, I can help him”, added Barry.

Mick must have seen the deep determination on his face, because he took a step towards him and asked:

“What do you have in mind?”

 

                Len was groaning at Lisa, asking her to stop talking about Barry, please, when he heard the siren.

“What is it?” Asked his sister, looking around with a frown.

Len’s heart leapt to his throat. “A riot”, he simply answered.

He had to get Lisa out of here, right now!

Several guards already present in the room asked them to remain calm and invited the visitors to leave at once. They escorted them out as quickly as possible and Len barely had the time to exchange a hurried glance with Lisa before he was left in the room with two other convict. One of the inmates cheered and try to take advantage of the alarm to try and assault one of the remaining officer. But the guard punched him in the face and knocked him out. He looked at Snart and the other convict, an old man Cold didn’t know, as if to dare them to try something. When he realized they weren’t about to be a problem, the officer, Garrick, Len read on his uniform, ushered them outside.

“Riot in the Block B, the convict are running wild”, said Zoom voice on the radio hanging from Garrick belt. “General lockdown engaged.”

“Sorry, guys”, he said to Snart and the old guy. “I’ll have to leave you in one of the old cell in this block.”

They were now in the hall just outside the visitor room. A door to the left opened brutally and three very big and mean looking convicts appeared. Officer Garrick tried to seize the stunner at his belt but before he had time to even move a muscle, one of the prisoner jumped him and plunged a nasty shank in his guts. The guard fell forward, unconscious and bleeding on the floor.

“Hello, Snart”, said a voice he would have recognized anywhere.

In the ruckus, Cold had not realized that a fourth man had walked in. And that he knew him. It was Alfonso Santini, Frank’ Santini little brother and heir to the famous mafia family. Apparently, the riot in the B block had spread through most of the prison now, because there was no way a psycho like him would have walked free without someone releasing his sorry ass. He was supposed to be locked up in the most high security wing of Iron Heights… Who had been crazy enough to let him out, above all people?

The old man next to Len had also recognized the famous convict and, too happy to realize the Santinis were too focused on Snart to pay him any mind, he ran away.

“Alfie”, nodded Len, now standing alone facing three brutes armed with bloody shanks and a crazy son of a bitch who had every reason to want him dead.

It was because of him he was in prison, after all…

A way back, when Len had still been young and stupid, he had tried to form an alliance with the Santini family to grow his business. Knowing that Frank and Vincent, the former head of the mafia, were very difficult to approach, he had tried to make himself known through Alfonso. The younger son of the great Vincent Santini had been famous for his fondness for pretty blue eyed man. Fitting that description, Len had then used his charms. It had worked and Alfie and him had become lovers for a time.

But it had all gone to shit the very day Len had been supposed to meet the head of the family. Thanks to Mick, he had learnt that the Santinis were about to make a big trade in human trafficking… woman and children. Len had done a lot of awful things in his life and he was far from an angel. But there were things he just would never tolerate. And human trafficking was on top of the list.

So, already far too clever and cunning, Len had decided to use his meeting with Vincent Santini to put a stop to their actions and use the famous Godfather’s fall to take his place. Under his wing, the business would flourish, but never stray from his own code of honor.

Len had reached out to his father (dirty cop, but still a cop) to make sure the Santinis would be caught in the act and put away for good. Most of his plan had worked out perfectly, but it had been before an overzealous cop had decided to shoot before everyone else. In the stand down that had followed, Vincent Santini, suspecting that Len had been the one betraying them, had tried to kill him. Using his famous Cold Gun, he had been forced to murder the old Godfather in front of both his sons. Alfonso had then lost his shit and slaughtered several cops in a desperate attempt to escape.

He had been caught by the police and, famous for his love for torture and bloodshed, had been sentence to a lifetime in Iron Heights. Frank had escaped and tried to build the family business back from scratch. But none of them would ever forget the young blue eyed man that had duped them all, killed their father and turned their dark family business into a thriving one.

So, yes, Len could understand the dark and violent fury on Alfonso’s face. Being in solitary since he had killed a guard during the latest riot, Snart hadn’t seen the Santini in months. Even back when he had been in Gen Pop, they hadn’t shared the same block, only crossing each other’s path once. And, thanks to Oliver Queen help, that had not turned out the way Alfonso had hoped. Now, he looked grey and unhealthy, far from the handsome man he had been. And he seemed even more bloodthirsty than before.

“I’ll gut you like a fish!” Snarled Alfonso. “We’ll see if your insides are really made of ice, Cold”.

Len, not liking his chances of survival at the moment, backed down slowly. But he soon realized he was already cornered to the wall.

Was it how he would die? Something wild inside Len’s brain rebelled against the very idea. If he had to go down, he wouldn’t do so without a proper fight. And the best and only weapon at his disposition right now, were his words. They could cut and freeze deeper than any blade. It would maybe give him enough time to plan his way out of this mess.

“It’s nice to see you too”, said Len with his laziest smile.

The three gorillas that were marching towards him, blade raised, were stopped by a simple snap of their leader’s fingers.

“Always so cocky. You won’t be for long after I’m done with you”, answered Alfonso with an ugly sneer.

“Are you going do to anything to me? I was under the impression you would rather use your minions to do the dirty work in your place. Has prison changed you that much? I still remembered how you _loved_ getting your hands dirty”, replied Len, lifting an unimpressed eyebrow.

It was working. Alfonso was definitely angry right now and he knew the man enough to remember that when he was driven by anger, he always made mistakes. All he had to do was to seize the right occasion…

Cringing his teeth in fury, Alfonso took a furious step towards Snart and was now standing far too close to him. Len could see dark bags under his deep brown, bloodshot eyes and his skin had a sallow color. He looked sick.

“I see you still enjoy getting on people nerves. It’s one of the things I’ll miss the most about you, your smart mouth. And your ass. You’ve always had a very fine ass”, Alfonso said with what he thought was a seductive smile, but looked more like a grimace.

But his grin dropped from his face as fast as it had appeared, replaced by a boiling anger. When the Santini took him by the scruff of his neck, Len felt a cold shiver of true dread trickle up his spine.

 _Soon… soon he would act_.

Snapping the fingers from his free hand, Alfonso lifted his arm backward and one of his goons gave him his blade.

_Soon…_

“You’re right”, he whispered in an excited huff. “I really love getting my hands dirty.” He then raised the makeshift knife in front of Snart’s face and barked: “That’s for my father!”

_Now!_

Just as Alfonso was raising his armed hand over his head to plunge it into Snart’s body as deeply as possible, Len lunch forward and gave him a very violent head-butt. He felt the Santini’s nose break against his forehead. Screaming in pain, the man dropped the blade and put his hands against his bleeding face. The force of the blow had forced him to take a step back, freeing Snart from his prison against the wall.

His head throbbing painfully, Len swiftly dodged one of the Santini’s gorilla punch and kneeled swiftly to pick up Alfonso discarded blade. When he stood up again, facing three very menacing giants and their even more furious leader, Len couldn’t help but smile.

Now that he was armed, he could at least defend himself.

“Kill him!” Snarled Alfonso.

And his men leapt forward, their blade raised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliffhanger. The next chapter will be posted next month! ^^


	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys, I'm back! Sorry for the delay but I've been quite busy at work and a sudden sickness has prevented me from finishing this chapter sooner.
> 
> I only hope you'll like it.
> 
> Happy reading ^^

Barry was running as fast as he could, forgetting to catch his breath and letting his legs lead him through the corridors. His heart was beating so hard against his chest he was afraid it would leap out of his body. Thankfully, this part of the A block was nearly empty due to the renovations. It was also devoid of any security cameras. To get here, Barry had had to crawl inside several filthy pipes and he was now covered in dirt and grime. But he didn’t care about that. He didn’t care about the sweat that was trickling down his back and face, he didn’t care about his sore legs, painful lungs and thrashing heart. All he could think about was Snart. And Barry hoped, he prayed, he would not be too late.

To get to the visitor hall, where he knew Cold had been a few minutes ago, Barry had to climb into the false ceiling at the end of this corridor. After crossing the crawlspace for just one hundred meters, he would be above the right room and able to help Snart.

_Please, don’t be dead_ , he couldn’t stop thinking. _Please, don’t be dead…_

Stopping at the right spot, Barry used the ladder resting against the wall to climb. But before that, a sudden idea struck him. Taking a roll of paper and a dirty rag, he damped it in a bucket filled with scrubbing alcohol. With the matches currently hidden in his pocket, he would set fire to the room and use the smoke to blind the Santinis.

He counted 30 seconds before he was above the visitor halls. Barry could hear noises of struggle coming from below. It was a good sign. If Snart had been dead already, he wouldn’t have heard a thing. Carefully removing a panel of the false ceiling, Barry lit a match and set fire to the rag drenched with alcohol. He quickly let it drop through the hole. Ducking his head to see what was happening inside, breathless and dreading the worst, the first thing Barry saw was the body of an officer, face flat and bleeding on the floor. Then, he heard a scream and his eyes widen when he realized that Snart had managed to knock out two of the big Santini cronies and was now wrestling the last one. A leaner man he recognized as Alfonso Santini was standing back, roaring: “Kill him!”

None of them had realized yet that a thick and dark smoke was slowly filling the room. Barry understood Snart was really struggling to get the upper hand against the last henchman. His face was set in a grimace of pain and Barry noticed with horror that the right side of his shirt was drenched in blood. When the big tank of a man punched Cold in the ribs, he fell on the floor in a yell of agony. Barry didn’t even think twice before he jumped below. The smoke hide him until he took a chair laying in his path and smashed it against the henchman head. He fell on the side, out cold.

“What the…?” He heard Alfonso Santini say behind his back.

But Barry barely heard him. All he could focus on was Snart. He was looking up at him in utter shock. His lips and cheekbones were split open and the wound on his side was dripping blood on the floor.

He looked awful. But he was alive… It was glorious.

Forgetting about the very dangerous man still standing behind him, Barry smiled at Cold. Something incredibly soft twinkled in Snart’s blue eyes, but it vanished quickly, replaced by an icy glare. In a flash, Cold was up and lunching himself at Barry.

_What the…_ He thought dumbly.

But at the last second, Snart sneaked past him and threw a deafening punch at Alfonso Santini, who had been standing behind Barry, a bloodied knife in his hands. The man fell back, but he was still conscious, just a little dazed.

Not losing another second, Barry took Cold’s arm and said: “Follow me.”

He gave him a quick once-over, as if to convince himself he wasn’t hallucinating, before he simply nodded. At their feet, Alfonso Santini was moaning and moving. They didn’t have time to lose. Standing just under the hole in the ceiling, Barry turned to Snart and explained quickly: “We need to get up there, it’s the only way out. I’ll hoist you up and then do you think you’ll be able to lift me?”

Snart gave him a little smile. “Let’s go, Scarlet.”

Cold was bulkier and heavier than he was, but, pushed by adrenaline and fear, Barry managed to help him up quite easily. Before seizing Snart’s arm, Barry glanced at Alfonso, but through the now very thick smoke, he couldn’t see him anymore.

Good. It would mean the man would take longer to find out how they had escaped.

Barry took Cold’s outstretched hand and jumped as high as possible. He then felt an arm wrap around his shoulders and, slowly but surely, Snart hoisted him up. Once he was safely back inside the false ceiling, Barry put the panel into place and faced Cold. He was breathing hard, his face sweating, a pained expression darkening his feature. Lifting him had probably not been easy, hurt as he was. He would have time to check on his wound once they would be in a safer environment. Crawling inside the very low pathway, Barry felt Snart follow him closely. When they reached the other side, they climbed down the ladder.

Once they were standing on their feet again, Barry let out a deep sigh. Adrenaline leaving him at once, he felt lightheaded, his heart sill hammering against his heaving chest. Leaning forward to put his hand on his bent knees, he tried to get his breath back. When he straightened up a few seconds later, a big smile on his face, Barry saw that Snart was standing back to the wall, a hand plastered on his bleeding side.

“Oh, right”, remembered Barry. “Let me see.”

Cold threw him a glare, but it lost his venom when Barry held up his arms and said in a calming voice: “I won’t hurt you, I promise”

Slowly, Snart let his guard down and let him come closer. Kneeling in front of Cold, Barry lifted his shirt with great care and cringed when he saw a bloodied and angry lash under his ribs. It seemed deep, but not too severe. Looking around, Barry took another roll of white paper and started to gently clean the wound.

When he glanced at Cold, he saw that the man was watching him with a guarded face. But there was an unusual warmth behind his blue eyes. Something fluttered inside Barry’s chest and he got back to the wound, feeling his cheeks burn.

The heavy silence was shattered by Snart’s question. “How did you get here?”

Barry cleared his throat and didn’t dare to look him in the eyes. He didn’t know what to tell him, really. He hadn’t thought about the consequences when he had dashed to Cold’s rescue. He couldn’t divulge essential parts of his plan to the very man who had reject his break out offer so thoroughly. It could put his entire plot in danger. So, instead of lying, something he was very bad at, Barry decided to stay silent. He felt Snart sigh in discontentment under his fingers, but he didn’t bulge.

“Fine, don’t tell me, Scarlet.”

He was obviously vexed, but didn’t push it. He simply watched him take care of his wound, Barry feeling his eyes on him like two burning spots. It had stop bleeding so profusely. Using duct tape and a thick piece of clean paper, he dressed a makeshift bandage that would have to suffice for the time being. When Barry stood up, he hadn’t realized how close to Snart he had been, and came face to face with him, their nose only inches apart. They stared at each other for long, endless seconds, before, to Barry’ surprise, Cold dropped his gaze.

“Thank you”, he muttered.

Barry suddenly felt his heart swell and his breath got caught in his throat.

“I owned you one”, he answered, his voice strangely rasp.

Snart looked up again and frowned.

“With Thawn”, Barry added with a little smile.

“Yes, Scarlet.” Cold shook his head. “And now we are even.” There was something soft and vulnerable in his eyes.

Was it… regret?

But then, he stepped around Barry and stared to walk away.

Feeling like led had just drop in his stomach, Barry tuned to the man and said: “I don’t want us to be.”

Snart stopped and faced him, his face expressionless.

“If it means we go back ignoring each other, I don’t want us to be even.  Ever.”

This admission was probably weak and foolish, but Barry didn’t regret saying it. He had had enough of the razor sharp edge they seemed to be walking on. He wanted it to end, one way or the other.

Snart stayed silent for a moment, staring at him with his intense blue eyes. He was too far for Barry to read anything into them. Then, he took a step forward.

“Okay, Scarlet”, he said with a crocked smile. “I’m in.”

 

                Len had brushed death several time fighting with the Santini’s cronies. But they had been too slow and each time, he had managed to push them back. He had knocked out the first one, the second one stabbing him in the side, but he had managed to kill him, he was sure of it. And Alfonso had watched them, barking orders and advices, but not once taking part in the struggle. Len had really thought he had been about to die when the last henchmen had stood above him, his face a grimace of triumph, his armed hand ready to plunge the blade into his neck.

But, out of nowhere, Barry Allen had appeared and smashed a chair against his thick skull at the last second. The rest of the fight had been kind of a blur. He had seen Alfonso sneak up behind the kid, ready to stab him in the back and before his brain had been able to catch up with his body, Len had jumped back up and knocked the man out.

As they had escaped through a hole in the ceiling and crawled back to safety, Len had been able to block the pain throbbing at his injured side, a thousands of questions fusing in his mind.

How had the kid known how to get to him? How had he found out he was in danger in the first place? And, most of all, why had he been the one coming to his rescue?

Len had thought, after everything that had happened between them, that he would have been the last person on earth Barry Allen would help. But the kid had put himself in grave danger… and all just to save him.

_Why?_

Was it because he still hoped to use him to break out? Or was it because the kid was just helplessly suffering from a hero complex?

Something deep and soft whispered in his mind that it was just the way Barry was. The kid put everything aside and jumped in front of danger to protect the ones he cared about. The very fact he had put himself in prison to try and save his father was proof enough.

But how Len had deserved such a thing from the kid? It wasn’t like they were friends or anything…

Those questions had run wild in his brain while Barry had patched him up with so much care and gentleness. Len had felt his chest soar. And after that, the kid had put an end to his inquiries.

_I owed you_ , he had said.

Of course, had thought Len. If he had come to help him, it wasn’t because the kid had cared about him in any way ( _what a silly and ridiculous idea_ ), but because he had had a debt towards him. A debt that was now paid.

Despite himself, Len had hated to realize that he was just a tool to Barry ( _and why would he be anything else, really? It wasn’t like he hadn’t done everything to antagonize the kid in the first place…_ ). But it had hurt nevertheless. Len had blamed blood loss and temporary insanity on his unusual lack of self-control and had walked away from Barry. It was better that way really. Now, maybe he would be able to put the kid out of his thoughts…

But, as unpredictable as ever, Scarlet had called after him and had said the most glorious thing.

“If it means we go back ignoring each other, I don’t want us to be even.  Ever.”

Len had known at this very moment that it was useless to fight anymore. He couldn’t pretend otherwise. There was something between this kid and him and he would be a fool not to let things unfold just to see what it could become.

He would join his break out team, for Lisa, for their business and for himself. He was far too clever to waste his time and brain inside a prison.  And he would do it for Barry. Because the kid was full of hope and goodness and, even if a part of him hated himself for admitting it, he would rather die than let Barry fall into darkness.

So, taking a step toward the kid, he had said: “Okay, Scarlet. I’m in.”

Now, Barry was looking at him with his mouth wide open. It shouldn’t have been cute, but on him, it kind of was.

“What did you say?” He asked, quite dumbly.

“Are you deaf, Scarlet?” Answered Len, crossing his arms over his chest and watching him derisively.

Barry glared at him and huffed, but a slow smile started to bloom on his pretty face.

“Do you mean it? About the break out?” Scarlet specified, still unable to realize he was being serious and not playing him an ugly joke.

Len had to roll his eyes at his utter cuteness. “Yes”, he simply said.

He was rewarded by one of Barry’s one thousand watt smile.

“What made you change your mind?” He couldn’t help but ask.

“Lisa”, admitted Len. “And other things…”

Probably not daring to push his luck, Barry let the subject drop. Taking a step in his direction, he said, his face now more serious: “Come, we aren’t safe yet. Santini could still find us and there’s still a riot happening. Let’s go back to our block before things get ugly.”

Len wanted to ask again how they would manage to get from here to there without being seen but didn’t. He would find out soon enough anyway. They walked silently side by side along several corridors he knew all too well. Being head of PI, he had been in charge of renovating this part of the prison. They stopped at a junction and Barry knelt to remove a panel on the wall, revealing the entrance of a big pipe system. Len only raised an eyebrow when the kid got in, crawling on all four.

“That explain your state”, he said, pointing to Barry’s very dirty clothes.

The kid only shrugged and Len followed him, putting the panel back in place behind him. The tunnels were very narrow and dark, meaning he had to stay close to Barry to make sure he would not lose him in this maze. They turned and entered a bigger pipe, where somewhere far above them, the sun shone through a drain, when Barry asked: “Why did you _really_ save me in the showers?”

The kid crawled into another hole and disappeared. Len tried to follow him but, bulkier than Barry was, he had quite a hard time getting through. Scarlet snorted when he got stuck in the middle and took his hand to pull him forward. He must have put a little too much enthusiasm in his attempt to help him, because one second, Len was trapped and the next, he was crowding Barry against a wall. They were know in one of the maintenance corridors surrounding the prison. The sudden proximity made Len shiver and he would have stepped aside if there was any more room. But the conduit they had stepped into was narrow and even if he had wanted to, Len couldn’t have moved away. They stayed like this, facing each other in the dim light, their eyes locked and their breath mingling.

Finally, after what felt like ages, Snart smirked and answered Barry’s later question: “I wasn't going to let a kid get shanked by a psycho like Thawn, even someone as annoying as you, Scarlet.”

“Not so cold after all, eh?” Barry huffed.

Cornered against him, Scarlet smelt of sweat and dirt, but underneath it, his true scent remained. Electric and warm. Len couldn’t help but inhaled deeply. Finally, he found the strength to wrench himself from the kid and gave him a slow smile.

“Shut up…” he scolded playfully. Watching their surroundings, he added: “You really do know your way around here.”

Barry ushered him along the path and answered, glancing at him above his shoulder: “Like I told you. I have everything figured out.”

Now that Len was aboard his break out trip, he needed to know more about it. “How so?”

“I've got the plans of the prison on me. Always,” simply said the kid, giving him a wink before turning away and leading him up a maintenance stairwell.

“Where…” Started Len. But then, he remembered what Lisa had told him earlier.  “ _Has he told you about his tattoos?”_ she had asked. Staring at the amazing ink roaming Barry’ skin, he suddenly understood. “Your tattoos?”

“Yep”. The smile was evident in his voice.

Amazing! Now that he knew, Len could indeed see strange patterns hidden beneath the drawings. It was very ingenious, really. A work of art. Both the tattoos and Scarlet, as it turned out…

“That's clever, kid”, he complimented, his own personal smile evident only to himself.

Intelligence had always been a real turn on for him…

“It's because I am clever”, laughed Barry. But soon, he became serious again. Stopping at a new junction, he looked at his shoulder, as if to check something written on his skin. “So now we need to turn left and go straight for a little longer and then we'll be safe… I think.”

Len lifted an eyebrow. “You think?”

Barry turned to him and grin a very cocky smile that went straight to Len’s groin. “Trust me?” He dared cheekily.

“Do I have a choice?”

Barry let out a chuckle and led him onward. A few minutes later, they stropped just before a wall pierced by a big hole near the bottom. It was blocked by something silver and metallic Len recognized as the back of their cells’ sink/toilet. Len watched him push the furniture out of the way and disappear into the hole. He followed and when he stood up, he was in Barry’s cell, facing Cisco, Stein and Rory.

“Welcome back to hell, Snart”, said Mick with a derisive smile.

Len lifted an eyebrow at his friend. What the hell was he doing here?

“Mick, what…?” But he was interrupted when the arsonist saw the blood covering his thank top.

“What happened with the Santinis?” He growled.

“That’s a story for another time”, cut Barry before stepping out of his cell to see what was happening outside.

Curious, and a little concerned as well, Len followed him and his eyes widen when he discovered the mess. The entire cell block looked now like a war zone. There was broken furniture, torn linens and toilet paper thrown everywhere. Some of it was on fire. Man, sweaty and laughing madly, where running all over the place.

“What the hell happened here?” He asked Barry.

“It’s… kinda my fault”, said the kid with a grimace.

Len turned to him and froze him to the spot with an icy glare. “Explanation?”

Scarlet put a hand behind his neck and started: “I needed time out of my cell to get on with the plan, so Cisco and I decided to disable the air conditioning, hoping it would create a lockdown.”

“Well done, Scarlet”, ironized Len, glancing at the riot.

“I know!” Whispered Barry with a pained face. “It wasn’t supposed to turn out like this.”

Len could see true guilt shine on the kid’s feature. He didn’t like that.

“It’s not the first time things gets ugly in this place, Scarlet”, he said, trying to reassure him.

Barry gave him a hint of a smile and Len once again lost himself in his beautiful green eyes.

_Damned, the kid was pretty!_ Even covered in grimes and smelling like a toilet, he was the cutest thing he had ever seen.

He was about to say something really stupid when suddenly, he heard a gunshot. Barry and Len both turned and saw at least twenty armored man, armed to the teeth, enter the cell block, shooting tear gas all around them.

“Back to our cells guys, this shit show is about to get really ugly”, said Len.

Mick only nodded and obeyed without complain. Len knew the guards would soon get the upper hand on the rioting inmates.

“We’ll talk later”, he said Barry before following his friend back to their cell.

He heard the kid say something to Cisco and Stein but tuned him out to turn to Mick.

“So, what where you doing with the old guy and Ramon?” Len asked him, crossing his arms on his chest.

He only remembered he was hurt when a painful throb traveled all the way up his body.

“Lay down, you moron”, grunted Mick, genuine concern shining in his eyes. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“It seems so”.

Len sat on his bunk bed and let his friend take a look at his wound while talking in whispers.

Yes, they had a lot to talk about…

 

                It only took a few minutes for the guards to get the inmates back in order. The tear gas fumes getting everywhere, Barry, Cisco and Stein used clean clothes to block their mouth and breathe properly. Their eyes watering painfully, they stayed put, watching the armed C.Os put reluctant convicts back to their cells. Everything quieted down quite quickly after that and soon, Savage came to escort Stein out.

“Come on, you old filth, back to your rat hole”, the officer snarled at Stein, pushing him in the back.

Barry was seconds from yelling at the C.O when the older man only snorted.

“Something bothering you, Officer Savage?” Stein asked him politely.

That seemed to surprise the C.O that only shook his head and led the convict away with a grim face. Barry knew Stein was respected among the prisoners, but it seemed he could even smooth the darkest of tempers. This man really was wise…

An hour later, the cells opened and the inmates were all asked to step out. In the middle of the still steaming rolls of scattered toilet paper and sheets, stood Ray Palmer. His face was dark and his eyes cold. Barry had never seen him look so somber. Right now, he appeared dangerous and ruthless. He had always asked himself how someone as kind and sympathetic as Palmer could rule a place like Iron Heights, but he understood now that the man was far more complex than it seemed.

Ray Palmer was now keeping every one of the convicts in check with his glare only. It was a very fascinating spectacle. The silence was heavy and uncomfortable, until, finally, the warden talked:

“When I agreed to take on this job, everyone told me I was crazy, that Iron Heights’ inmates were all lost causes, a bunch of battered man with no future. And you know what I told all of them?”

Silence. Barry glanced around and saw with utter shock that all of the inmates were listening to Palmer with something akin to guilt in their faces.

“I told them to fuck off”, added the warden, starting to pace around the room. “You all know me and you are all aware of the vision I have for this place. I wanted Iron Heights to be a place of redemption and second chances. And this block… this very block was beginning to look like what I had always wanted for you. No violence. No riots. No trouble. Just man trying to get on with their life with all the self-respect they have felt. I had hopes for you guys. But then you decided to beat people up in the showers and prove all of those fuckers that had warned me right. You disappointed me today. A lot. And know, I will have to take measures. Two of my C.Os died because of you and you’ll have to bear the consequences.”

Still silence, deafening.

“First of all, this block will stay on lockdown for a week. Food will be brought up once a day and you’ll be escorted to the showers by group of ten like bloody children. You will have to clean this place up and won’t see the light of day. No P.I, no visitors and no court time will be allowed. If even one of you step out of line, all of the cell block will pay the consequences. I still consider today as an unfortunate mistake and I hope, despite everything, that you’ll show me I’m right. Earn my trust back. Fuck all of my detractors. Act like human being and maybe… maybe we will put this day behind us. I count on you. Don’t fuck this up, or you won’t like what I have in store for you. Not one bit”, finished Palmer.

On this, he simply nodded, his face still hard and walked out of the block. The four officers surrounding him remained and Zoom stepped forward.

“Back to your cells. We’ll open them each morning for an hour to let you clean your fucking mess. We have been allowed to tase you on sight if needed and trust me, we won’t hesitate”, he barked. There was an ugly smile on his face and it was clear he was enjoying the situation far more than he should.

Barry shared a quick glance with Rory and Cold before they got back to their cells, but they didn’t need to speak to understand each other.

One week. They had one week to get through the wall and get on with the plan. Despite the gravity of what had happened today, Barry couldn’t help but remain determined. It wasn’t time to feel guilty. It would come back to him with a vengeance but now he had to focus on one single thing: Len and Mick were on the team now. Everything was going according to plan.

He would get his father out. Whatever the consequences.


End file.
